Which NBA teams have a mascot you ask. The experience of attending an NBA game wouldn’t be complete without team mascots. These energetic personalities are always ready to pump up the crowd, wreak havoc in the stands and sometimes even get in arguments with opposing players. Some of the mascots range from being unbelievably awesome to odd to just plain silly.

Currently, 26 NBA teams have a mascot while the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers do not have one. So let’s take a look at all these funny characters.

Atlanta Hawks – Harry the Hawk

Harry the Hawk is one of the first mascots in the league as he dates back to 1986. He was around when Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb terrorized the rims around the league when Dikembe Mutombo was saying ‘no’ after a block and today when Trae Young is hitting shots from all over the place. When not supporting his team on the field, he’s on and about doing charity work and supporting various social programs. In fact, his schedule is so busy that it would wear out a human, let alone a bird.

Boston Celtics – Lucky the Leprechaun

The Boston Celtics have had the same symbol for quite a while and it’s, of course, a leprechaun named Lucky. He appears on the logo of the team and the mascot looks pretty much the same. The logo was designed by Zang Auerbach in the 1940s, although it was changed a bit in the late 1960s. Lucky the Leprechaun is a nod to the team’s Irish heritage and to Boston’s historically large Irish population.

Charlotte Hornets – Hugo the Hornet

The Hugo moniker was selected from a pool of more than 6,000 fan suggestions and was inaugurated as part of the Charlotte Hornets’ first season. In the aftermath of the damage resulting from Hurricane Hugo in September 1989, the Hornets announced that the Hugo moniker would remain, and the mascot’s name would not be changed to Hoser or Hank. Hugo originally served as the Charlotte Hornets’ mascot from 1988 to 2002 and was the mascot for the New Orleans Hornets from 2002 to 2013. When the New Orleans Hornets changed their name to the New Orleans Pelicans, Hugo once again became the mascot of the Charlotte Hornets.

Chicago Bulls – Benny the Bull

Benny is one of the longest-tenured mascots in the NBA and in all professional sports with more than 50 years of being on the stage. Benny was named after Ben Bentley, the Bull’s first Public Relations Manager, and Stadium Announcer. Benny was one of the promotional tools general manager Pat Williams employed to boost the Bulls’ arena entertainment and attendance.

Cleveland Cavaliers – Moon Dog and Sir CC

After LeBron James and Kyrie Irving left Cleveland, Moon Dog and Sir CC are the best duos in town. Moondog looks like any other cartoon dog, but he just has that natural charisma.  Sir CC looks like Dudley Do-Right’s long-lost brother, but with a worse uniform.

Dallas Mavericks – Champ and Mavs Man

Champ and MavsMan make up a dynamic mascot duo for the Dallas Mavericks. MavsMan is part man, part basketball, and wears an orange basketball-themed bodysuit. He is joined on game days by Champ, a blue fluffy horse with a toothy smile.

Denver Nuggets – Rocky the Mountain Lion

One of the most recognizable and beloved mascots in the NBA, Supermascot Rocky has become a staple at every Nuggets home game. His daring acrobatics and innovative skits have made his performances eagerly anticipated by fans and players alike. Rocky is an integral part of the community programs of the Denver Nuggets and makes countless appearances at schools of all levels throughout the state of Colorado. In addition, Rocky has made several appearances for other professional sports teams and has performed on behalf of the NBA at the All-Star Game as well as several international functions.

Detroit Pistons – Hooper

Hooper generally appears as a horse wearing a Pistons jersey. The symbolism is, that like the pistons they are named after, the team produces horsepower, hence the equine mascot. Hooper became a part of the Pistons team on November 1, 1996, replacing Sir Slam A Lot, and it did not take very long for him to become the most popular mascot in Pistons’ franchise history. Though Hooper was introduced during the “teal era” to coincide with the Pistons’ new equestrian logo, his popularity as a mascot allowed him to remain a part of the team despite the Pistons’ returning to their previous colors and basketball logo only a few years later.

Houston Rockets – Clutch the Bear

The Rocket’s Clutch is the winner of the 2021 mascot of the year in the NBA. Clutch was introduced on March 14, 1995. His name goes with the informal nickname “Clutch City” that was given to Houston after the Rockets won their first NBA championship in the 1993-94 season. Clutch was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006 and has also been named the NBA Mascot of the Year three times, in 2005, 2013, and this year.

Indiana Pacers – Boomer

Boomer was introduced before the start of the 1991 NBA season. Boomer is a tall energetic cat, sometimes called the “Pacers panther”, who performs high flying dunks and dance moves in addition to firing up the crowd attending games. He wears a #00 Pacers jersey and is one of the more accomplished NBA mascots, being selected for several NBA All-Star Games. Bowser was a former mascot, in canine form, who worked in tandem with Boomer. The duo was broken up when Bowser was retired during the 2009–2010 season, after 8 years in the business. Mini-Boomer is a smaller, more youthful version of Boomer, presumably his “offspring”, that performs with him at select games.

Los Angeles Clippers – Chuck the Condor

In 2016, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer worked to redesign the look of the team with new jerseys and a new home court design, and they also unveiled their new mascot: Chuck the Condor. The giant bird, which was near extinction in the early 80s, is reminiscent of the Clippers’ recent resurgence under Ballmer.

Memphis Grizzlies – Grizz

Grizz is no stranger to the mascot community. He was first introduced in 1995 as the official mascot of the Memphis Grizzlies when the team was originally in Vancouver. Grizz has been a staple in the community and was even named 2011 NBA Mascot of the Year.

Minnesota Timberwolves – Crunch the Wolf

Crunch’s witty sense of humor and amusing antics that energize the crowd have made him a fan favorite for years. He was named Mascot of the year in 2012. His over-the-top stunts make him a beloved mascot, but it has also brought some incidents along the way. In 2017, while doing his go-to routine — using a sled to slide down a flight of stairs at the Target Center — Crunch lost his balance and slid into the front row, hitting Karl Anthony Town’s father in the knee, an injury that left him on crutches.

New Orleans Pelicans – Pierre the Pelican

When the New Orleans Pelicans unveiled Pierre the Pelican, it got the Internet buzzing. As it turns out, Pierre the Pelican isn’t exactly the most kid-friendly mascot. After many found Pierre’s look scary, he went on the injury list with a face cover and returned after a few days with a brand new face, which this time was much more appropriate.

Oklahoma City Thunder – Rumble the Bison

Rumble the Bison is an anthropomorphic bison and his name derives from the sound that thunder makes. According to his official backstory on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s website, Rumble is the subject of a Native American tale that has been passed down for centuries, which tells of a bison who was struck by lightning while saving his herd from a ferocious storm in the Arbuckle Mountains. The lightning transformed him into the anthropomorphic, super-powered bison known today as Rumble. When the Thunder arrived in Oklahoma City, he identified with them and joined the team.

Orlando Magic – Stuff the Magic Dragon

Stuff the Magic Dragon, described as “the tallest dragon in Orlando’s history,” was introduced in a giant egg on Church Street in 1989, where Dave Raymond, the original Philly Phanatic, portrayed him for his “birth”. He was “originally the Magic’s #1 pick in the supplemental dragon backdraft, directly out of clown college.” Stuff is said to live in the Dragon’s Lair at Orlando’s Amway Center and has his own play area, “Stuff’s Magic Castle” on the promenade level.

Philadelphia 76ers – Franklin the Dog

The 76ers introduced their new mascot in 2015, a fuzzy blue dog named Franklin. The name “Franklin” is a reference to Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin, and the fact that Franklin is a fuzzy blue dog doesn’t have anything to do with anything. The 76ers figured the mascot would be for kids, so they asked a ton of local kids who the mascot should be.

Phoenix Suns – Go the Gorilla

Go the Gorilla is one of the most famous mascots on the list. Known for his slapstick comedy, Go was introduced as the official mascot for the Phoenix Suns in 1980. In May of this year, the Suns announced that Go signed the first-ever team mascot athletic endorsement deal after partnering with the Phoenix streetwear brand Guest List. He was honored in 2005 when he was selected to be one of three inaugural members of the Mascots Hall of Fame.

Portland Trail Blazers – Blaze the Trail Cat

The Trail Blazers introduced Blaze as their first mascot in 2002, giving him the fictional back story that he was a “unique mountain lion species” born in the Oregon Cascades. According to the fictional biography, Blaze then came to Portland where he ended up at the Oregon Humane Society and was adopted for the Blazers by then-superstar Scottie Pippen. Blaze’s costume is a stylized mountain lion character with red flames for ears and a crooked tail with a flame at its tip. The lion’s fur is white and silver and he wears various Blazers uniform styles.

Sacramento Kings – Slamson the Lion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pSwS0DqKks

Slamson is one of the most loved and entertaining mascots in the league. From his famous dance-offs to his hilarious routine, Slamson is a crowd favorite. Each year on March 17, Slamson often invites his mascot friends to celebrate his birthday and it’s always a roaring party in the Golden 1 Center.

San Antonio Spurs – The Coyote

The Coyote was first introduced in public at a San Antonio Spurs game in 1983. He’s known for his slapstick comedy routine, including impromptu interactions with game officials during time-outs, rehearsed skits and dance numbers with the Silver Dancers, as well as for his trick filled antics, such as riding a unicycle, pulling his eyes off, dribbling a ball with his feet or spinning a ball on a pen.

Toronto Raptors – The Raptor

The Raptor is a velociraptor that made its debut in 1995. The Raptor is the perfect balance between being a lovable creature despite being a ravenous dinosaur. The Raptor has had many viral moments over the years from “eating” a cheerleader to epic dance-offs. He’s also known for antagonizing Robin Lopez. In January 2014, Lopez commented in an interview that The Raptor was the NBA’s most annoying mascot.

Utah Jazz – Jazz Bear

Jazz Bear was introduced to the league in 1994 as the mascot for the Utah Jazz. Since then, he’s completed countless hours of community service, performed at over 800 home games, and suffered many injuries while performing, including tearing his bicep and rupturing a tendon in his calf. Jazz Bear has earned his spot on our list of which NBA teams have a mascot as he was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006 and won Mascot of the Year three times in 2006, 2008, and 2018.

Washington Wizards – G-Man and G-Wiz

The Washington Wizards are among a small group of teams that have not one, but two mascots in their organizations. G-Man, along with G-Wiz, is a duo that entertains fans at Washington’s home games. G-Wiz is a monstrous blue bird-like creature, and G-Man is a large, blue man. The mascots aren’t the most creative but they are among the brightest in the bunch.

Which NBA Teams Have a Mascot?

Every single mascot on this list is loved and adored by fans around the world. Basketball experts and fans recognize the importance of these beloved figures in sports history.

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