Milwaukee Bucks: In search of the best Bucks player nicknames

Milwaukee Bucks: In search of the best Bucks player nicknames — Ricky Pierce

One of the most natural scorers throughout Bucks history, Ricky Pierce’s mark on the franchise is certainly unique.

After all, for a franchise that has had plenty of quality super-subs between Lucius Allen, Junior Bridgeman and all the way up to George Hill in this current era of Bucks basketball, it’s Pierce that may arguably be the greatest sixth man in the team’s history.

That comes down to the simple fact that Pierce was, as the kids say, a walking bucket, all throughout his 18 years in the NBA, six-and-a-half of them coming in Milwaukee.

It wasn’t until after Pierce left Milwaukee, where he won not one, but two Sixth Man of the Year awards and led the 1989-90 Bucks in scoring (23 points per game) while coming off the bench for all 59 of his appearances, that he earned what may be one of the greatest nicknames in NBA history: ‘Big Paper Daddy.’

That wonderful nickname originated during Pierce’s time with the Seattle SuperSonics as the team’s play-by-play announcer at the time, Kevin Calabro, recalled to the Seattle Times in February of 1994:

"“Dana Barros said that after watching Ricky hit a shot from midcourt in practice,” Calabro said. “Dana, kind of under his breath, said, `Big Paper Daddy.’ I’m thinking, `That’s beautiful. I’ve got to have that.’ “"

So while Pierce’s nickname didn’t originate during his time in Milwaukee, we must make an exception for an all-time nickname for one of the best bucket getters in Bucks history.