Being called slow in a game where speed and agility are the key. Not many players would like being called that, would they? But not Kyle Anderson. The veteran embraces his nickname “slo-mo”. Well, why shouldn’t he embrace the moniker of being slow, if it hasn’t affected his stock and he seems to go on just fine? He’s been around the league for 10 years, recently upping his shooting accuracy, and still has a few more years left in his tank. So, what exactly does this nickname target?

The 31-year-old former Minnesota star has just landed in San Francisco. During his introduction interview at the Warriors, Kyle said, “I think it’s kind of deceptive. Changing speeds is a part of my game. Being a little crafty. It’s always worked for me.” He thinks his slow movement has helped him deceive opponents and has always been a creative player and likes to think outside the box.

Kyle Anderson is 6’3 and has a 7’3 wingspan, which makes him an incredible defender. Along with this, he can almost play anywhere on the court offensively from point guard to center, while shooting 48.6% from the field and 35.3% from deep in the last two seasons. Being this versatile is why the Golden State Warriors and Steve Kerr have shown interest in him. Watching him dribble will make you think about how he’s doing this at such a leisurely pace and still being successful.

Well, Mr. Slo-Mo is proof that speed matters in the game of basketball, but not at the cost of skill. Kyle also said in his introduction, “I watch guys like Nikola (Jokić) or Luka Dončič, and I’m like ‘Am I moving like that?’ And my teammates are like, ‘You’re moving slower.’” Kyle compared his movement and wondered if he was that slow. This brings us to one question now- how did this nickname come into being? Was this given when he arrived at the NBA? or when the fans saw his movement speed? Let us find out.

How did Kyle Anderson become “slo-mo”?

Recently Kyle Anderson was in an interview on the Golden State Warriors’ YouTube channel. While he was talking about the culture in San Francisco and his journey in the NBA, during this interview, Tim Roye asked him about the nickname and how he got it. Kyle answered, “The first time I was 11 we went to the nationals, and we played this Texas team which was really good, and after they were like ‘Oh you’re so slow but you’re good, we gonna call you slo-mo.’ And that stuck with me.”

Kyle talked about how the nickname was given to him when he was just 11 years old. According to him, this is not the only incident that birthed the name, there was another. Back in New York, there was another incident that Kyle described, “There’s a league in Queens New York, around where JK grew up called ISA, and the announcer’s name is Pete Edwards. He runs the league, and he gave me that nickname and that was, you know, kind of born in the NYC area, so it kind of came together and everybody, that’s what everybody knows as now.”

Kyle Anderson has been and will be a good baller, nonetheless. His broader skill set is what’s keeping him in the league. He’s always embraced the name and has been a team player. Crediting his dad, who was a Heisman runner-up at SMU back in his day, for training him to be a high-IQ hooper, this story just goes to prove that speed isn’t everything in the game of basketball.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.