Will Barton’s official nickname is The People’s Champ. It’s listen on his Basketball Reference page. That name is not The Microwave. It’s been around before, I mean. A few times. Here they go:
Manny Pacquiao
Muhammad Ali
Alex Higgins
Dwayne Johnson
Tito Ortiz
Kenny Powers
Diamond Dallas Page
Freddie Mitchell (Fred Ex! My guy!)
It’s not a laundry list, but it’s a single man’s grocery list. He had himself a kind of coming out party last year, ending the season with averages of 14, 6, and 2. Some nights his stat line would just balloon.
He gave himself the monicker, by the way. Happened during a postgame interview after a breakout game against the Nets back when he was with the Blazers. That takes zeal, a special spirit. He’s trying hard to carve.
drawllin 