The Top 10 NBA Mascots, Ranked

Mascots are an important part of any Sports Team They help build team spirit and bring joy to fans of all ages. NBA mascots are no exception.

There are a lot of great NBA mascots, but there can only be 10 that make it to the top of the list. Here are the 10 best NBA mascots, ranked:

10. Boomer the Bear (Chicago Bulls)
9. Soohorang (South Korea men’s national Ice Hockey team)
8. Bango (Milwaukee Bucks)
7. Rocky the Mountain Lion (Denver Nuggets)
6. Hooper (Detroit Pistons)
5. G-Wiz (Washington Wizards)
4. Blaze the Trail Cat (Portland Trail Blazers)
3. Hip-Hop (Philadelphia 76ers)
2. The Gorilla (Phoenix Suns)
1. Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls)

The Top 5 NBA Mascots, Ranked

1. The Top 10 NBA Mascots, Ranked
2. The 5 Best NBA Mascots, Ranked
3. The top NBA Mascots, Ranked
4. The Best NBA Mascots, Ranked

The Top 3 NBA Mascots, Ranked

1. bouncy, fun-loving, and entertaining, the Toronto Raptors’ mascot is second to none. 2. The Milwaukee Bucks’ mascot is always up for a game of HORSE or tag — he’s just that versatile. 3. The Charlotte Hornets’ Hugo is a classic example of a great NBA mascot He’s got the perfect mix of School Spirit and playfulness.

The Top 2 NBA Mascots, Ranked

#2. The Raptor – Toronto Raptors
This feisty little guy is the perfect embodiment of his team’s name. He’s fast, he’s ferocious, and he knows how to put on a show. He also isn’t afraid to get down and dirty – just like his team.

#1. Benny the Bull – Chicago Bulls
Benny is the OG of NBA mascots, and he still holds up today. He’s got the perfect mix of energy and chill, he loves to interact with fans, and he always knows how to get the crowd going.

The top NBA Mascot, Ranked

The Top 10 NBA Mascots, Ranked
1. The Phoenix Suns Gorilla
2. Benny the Bull, Chicago Bulls
3. The Denver Nuggets Rocky
4. Dallas Mavericks’ Champ
5. Hooper, Detroit Pistons
6. The Houston Rockets’ Clifford
7. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Moondog
8. Blaze, Toronto Raptors
9. Wiki and Stitches, Orlando Magic
10. Stuff, Miami Heat

The Bottom 5 NBA Mascots, Ranked

There are some truly great mascots in the NBA. These are the ones that get the people pumped up and ready to watch their favorite team take the court. They’re also the ones that have become fan favorites in their own right, with some even having their own line of merchandise.

Then there are the bottom 5 NBA mascots. These are the ones that are either forgettable, uninspired, or just downright bad. They’re the mascots that you might not even realize are part of an NBA team In fact, you might not even realize they’re supposed to be mascots at all.

So without further ado, here are the bottom 5 NBA mascots, ranked:

5. G-Wiz (Orlando Magic)
G-Wiz is the Orlando Magic’s mascot, and he’s… a genie? We’re not quite sure. He’s also apparently friends with a talking lizard named Stuff, which doesn’t make things any clearer. G-Wiz is just an inexplicable character that doesn’t really fit in with anything else about the Magic organization.

4. The Gorilla (Phoenix Suns)
The Gorilla has been the Suns’ mascot since 1980, and in that time he’s become known for his acrobatic dunking abilities. That’s really all there is to him, though. He doesn’t have a particularly clever or unique name, and his costume is just a generic gorilla suit. He does his job well enough, but he’s just not particularly special.

3. Bango (Milwaukee Bucks)
Bango is the Bucks’ mascot, and he… is a deer? A buck? We’re not quite sure what he is, but he is undeniably one of the strangest mascots in the NBA. He looks more like something you would find in a child’s bedroom than an NBA Arena and his name isn’t even particularly clever or unique. He does have his fans, but Bango is just an odd character overall.

2. Hooper (Detroit Pistons)
Hooper is the Pistons�� mascot, and he… is a horse? A dog? A lion? Again, we’re not quite sure what he is supposed to be. He does have some cool tricks up his sleeve (literally), but Hooper is just an enigmatic character overall. His costume is also oddly specific, as it includes a vest and bowtie for some reason. We appreciate his effort, but Hooper just doesn��t quite hit the mark.

1. Harry The Hawk (Atlanta Hawks)

The Bottom 3 NBA Mascots, Ranked

10. The Denver Nuggets’ Rocky the Mountain Lion
Is it just me or does this guy look like he’s constipated? Like he’s trying to go number two but just can’t seem to push it out? No thanks.

9. The Utah Jazz’s Bear
OK, I get that the Jazz are trying to be unique with their bear mascot, but this thing looks more like a deranged hobo than an actual bear. And that yellow fur is just tacky.

8. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Moondog
The Cavs’ mascot is supposed to be a dog, but he looks more like a rat that someone put in a hotdog costume. Also, his name is “Moondog,” which is just stupid.

The Bottom 2 NBA Mascots, Ranked

There are some truly bad mascots in the NBA. Here are the two worst, ranked from least offensive to most offensive.

10. G-Wiz, Washington Wizards
At least G-Wiz is creative? The green and red costume looks like something a child would wear for Halloween, and it doesn’t really look like anything in particular. G-Wiz is also apparently supposed to be a “genie in training,” which is just weird.

9. Hip-Hop, Philadelphia 76ers
Hip-Hop is an actual person in a giant mouse costume, which is just about as creepy as it sounds. He “dances” around on the court during breaks in the action, and his whole act just comes across as try-hard and lame.

The Bottom NBA Mascot, Ranked

10. The Phoenix Suns Gorilla
The Suns’ Gorilla is easily the least intimidating mascot in the NBA. He’s a small, fuzzy monkey who wears a diaper and bashes a drum at games. He doesn’t even have a name! The Gorilla has been the Suns’ mascot since 1980, and in that time, he has become one of the most beloved figures in franchise history. But make no mistake: he is not a good mascot.

9. Boomer the Buffalo
Boomer is the mascot of the Oklahoma City Thunder and he is… a buffalo. That’s it. He doesn’t have any special powers or abilities, he doesn’t wear any cool clothes, he doesn’t have a catchy catchphrase. He’s just a buffalo. And not even a real buffalo – he’s an anthropomorphic cartoon character buffalo. Boomer is so unmemorable that I had to look him up just to remind myself what he looks like. That’s not good for a mascot.

8. The Atlanta Hawks Trae Young
The Atlanta Hawks are one of the few teams in the NBA without an official mascot, but they do have an unofficial “mascot” in the form of rookie point guard Trae Young Young has been dubbed the “Baby Hawk” by fans and media, and he has embraced the nickname/mascot title, even appearing in Hawk-themed merchandise and commercials. It’s all very weird and kind of creepy, but hey, at least the Hawks have something resembling a mascot?

7. Rocky the Mountain Lion
Rocky is the Denver Nuggets’ official mascot, and he is… a mountain lion? Yep, that’s right – Rocky is a big cat who represents one of America’s most majestic animals. And while Rocky may be technically accurate (mountain lions are found in Colorado), he just doesn’t seem all that threatening or exciting. Maybe it’s his goofy smile or his fluffy tail, but Rocky comes across as more cuddly than ferocious.

Why NBA Mascots Matter

Whether it’s a furry friend, a larger-than-life character, or something in between, NBA mascots play an important role in the game day experience for fans of all ages. From entertaining crowds during timeouts to leading team spirit initiatives, these costumed crusaders are key members of every NBA organization.

But which mascots reign supreme? We’ve ranked the top 10 NBA mascots, based on a variety of factors includingoriginality, creativity, likability, and overall team impact.

10. Burnie – Miami Heat
First up is Burnie, the fiery Miami Heat mascot who’s been with the team since its inaugural 1988-89 season. He wasted no time making his mark on the franchise, winning the inaugural NBA Mascot Challenge at All-Star Weekend in 1989.

9. Rocky – Denver Nuggets
Next on our list is Rocky, the lovable mountain lion who’s been prowling the sidelines for the Denver Nuggets since 1990. He was named after Rocky Mountain National Park and is one of only two mascots on our list (the other being the Phoenix Suns’ Gorilla) with an official Twitter account (@RockyMountainLion).

The Top 10 NBA Mascots, Ranked