The mascots are back! The roughest, toughest, goofiest-looking mascots of our favorite NBA teams vary in rank. We've settled the rankings for the West, and now it's time for the East. So let's do it, NBA's Eastern Conference mascots ranked, from worst to best.
Ranking the NBA's Eastern Division Mascots:
No. 12: Lucky the Leprechaun (Boston Celtics)
I know that Lucky is unique, in being one of the only true human mascots to ever exist. However, it doesn't feel like a mascot. The Celtics have such potential to have an iconic mascot! This sort of feels like a cop-out. I understand that there's a legacy of history with this mascot, but that doesn't mean I have to love it.
No. 11: Bango (Milwaukee Bucks)
This mascot has lots of potential to be great! I'd even go as far as to say that Bango is a great mascot. I just feel like the facial design is a bit lacking, here. An elongated face would've worked well in this design.
No. 10: Burnie (Miami Heat)
Burnie has a lot going on. I'm not saying it doesn't work, I'm just saying it's a lot. There's goofy, there's really goofy, and then there's Burnie. Nonetheless, good on Miamai for bringing this look together.
No. 9: Franklin the Dog (Philadelphia 76ers)
Franklin has a nice blue to him. It's hard to mess up a dog mascot, which is why Franklin is a good-looking mascot. The concept plays it safe, and it works out.
No. 8: Hooper (Detroit Pistons)
A brilliant balance of playing it safe and taking risks. Hooper, who has an awesome name, has a fantastic look! On top of the look, some risks are being taken with the hair. A great example of a little flair going a long way, while also maintaining the classic look.
No. 7: The Raptor (Toronto Raptors)
The Raptor gets a lot of bonus points for making this work. It's not easy to pull off a Raptor as a mascot, but this looks awesome! We've seen a lot of crazy-looking mascots, but The Raptor keeps a classic look while pulling off something truly impressive.
No. 6: Harry the Hawk (Atlanta Hawks)
As I've said in the past, birds are really easy to pull off. Having acknowledged that, I do think that Harry the Hawk does a good job keeping things simple. The hawk distinctions make Harry slightly stand out, which is great.
No. 5: Moondog (Cleveland Cavaliers)
It's a simple look, with utterly no flaws. While I do commend many mascots for taking various amounts of risks, I do appreciate the classic approaches. Sometimes, it's best to keep it simple.
No. 4: Stuff the Magic Dragon (Orlando Magic)
I can see how this placement is contradictory. I've sung the praises of classic mascot looks for this entire list, but it's time to reward an out-there concept. Stuff the Magic Dragon somehow balances this crazy look! This mascot also fits so well with the aesthetic of the Orlando Magic, I couldn't help but put him in the top 5.
No. 3: Boomer (Indiana Pacers)
The colors that Boomer uses make this mascot work. This is a world-class example of color utilization. Beyond that, the classic look is utilized. Boomer has earned his spot at number 3.
No. 2: Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls)
The iconic Benny the Bull comes to mind when I think of mascots. There are so many good things happening with this design! Never change, Benny.
No. 1: Hugo the Hornet (Charlotte Hornets)
Today is a day when an underrated mascot gets his flowers. Hugo the Hornet has a simple, yet elegant look. The colors work great and tie the whole thing together. The face and head sculpt is awesome, and it just feels like there's no better way to feature this character.
