Top 10 NBA Players Who Changed Their Names
We complete a list of every player who changed their name (while they were an active player).
The format is: changed name (pre-change name), date of change, reason (if given).
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor), 5/1/1971 (the day after the Bucks won their lone NBA title), religious reasons (Islam)
Jamaal Wilkes (Keith Wilkes), 7/26/1975, religious reasons (Islam) (NOTE: officially changed name to Jamaal Abdul-Lateef but continued to use the surname "Wilkes" for purposes of public recognition)
Photo by Ronald C. Modra/ Getty Images
World B. Free (Lloyd B. Free), 12/8/1981, high school nickname
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Hakeem Olajuwon (Akeem Olajuwon), 3/9/1991, "I'm not changing the spelling of my name, I'm correcting it."
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Chris Jackson), Spring 1993, religious reasons (Islam)
Bison Dele (Brian Williams), 1998, "to honor his Cherokee and African heritage"
Nenê (Maybyner Hilario), 8/2003, nickname
Metta World Peace (Ron Artest), 9/16/2011, "Changing my name was meant to inspire and bring youth together all around the world"
Jeff Ayres (Jeff Pendergraph), 8/2013, changed from stepfather's surname to biological father's surname
Henry Walker (Bill Walker), 1/2014, switched to middle name from the first name
