Benny the Bull is a staple for Chicago Bulls fans and, apparently, NBA fans around the country.
In a new survey of over 900 NBA fans nationwide by nj.bet, Chicago's beloved Benny the Bull ranked as the No. 2 best mascot in the league.
Introduced to the world in 1969, Benny was the first NBA mascot. Previously named the most popular mascot in sports in 2013 and NBA mascot of the year in 2015, Benny was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2017.
As Bulls fans already know and love, Benny is known for his impressive acrobatics and dunking tricks, silly crowd interactions and spectacular dance moves. In addition to his gameday performances, he makes public appearances on behalf of the Bulls organization and is a member of the Bulls' All-Star Reading Team.
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Who could possibly beat him?
Fans were asked to rank team mascots from best to worst. Each mascot was scored out of five points, with participants looking at factors such as nostalgia, entertainment and appeal to children when determining their rankings.
Benny the Bull scored 3.83 points. Just ahead of him was Grizz of the Memphis Grizzlies, snagging the top spot with a total score of 3.87. The bear, which is best known for jumping through a ring of fire, was previously named NBA mascot of the year in 2011.
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Coming in third place was Cleveland Cavelier’s Moondog, while Henry the Hawk of the Atlanta Hawks ranked at #4. Denver Nuggets' Rocky the Mountain Lion rounded out the top five.
Dallas Mavericks' Mavs Man sat at the bottom of the rankings. Although the character underwent changes in 2022, fans still scored the robotic basketball man a whopping 1.87 points. When asked what mascot the league should get rid of, a majority of the fans voted for Boston Celtics' Lucky the Leprechaun.
Overall, 77 percent of NBA fans felt like mascots add to the game experience. Moreover, 63 percent felt that all teams should have a mascot. Currently, there are four teams (Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks) that do not. To learn more about the NJ. Bet survey, see here: NBA Fans Ranked all NBA Mascots from Best to Worst - NJ BET.
