National Basketball Association Cheerleading

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league with teams in the United States and Canada. Nearly every team, with one exception, has a squad of dancers for cheerleading that are usually involved in dancing, charity work, fundraisers, and modeling.[1] However, the #MeToo Movement has resulted in many NBA teams replacing their all-girl dance teams with family-friendly hype teams in recent years.

Washington Wizards cheerleaders at the Verizon Center.

Teams
Name NBA Team
A-Town Dancers[2] Atlanta Hawks
Blazer Dancers[3] Portland Trail Blazers
Celtics Dancers and Green Team[4] Boston Celtics
Brooklynettes[5] Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Honey Bees[6] Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Luvabulls[7] Chicago Bulls
Cavs PowerHouse Dance Team[8] Cleveland Cavaliers
Mavs Dancers[9] Dallas Mavericks
Nuggets Dancers[10] Denver Nuggets
Automotion[11] Detroit Pistons
Warrior Girls[12] Golden State Warriors
Grizz Girls[13] Memphis Grizzlies
Clutch City Dancers[14] Houston Rockets
Pacemates[15] Indiana Pacers
Knicks City Dancers[16] New York Knicks
Spirit Dance Team[17] Los Angeles Clippers
Laker Girls[18] Los Angeles Lakers
Magic Dancers[19] Orlando Magic
HEAT Dancers[20] Miami Heat
Energee[21] Milwaukee Bucks
Pelicans Dance Team[22] New Orleans Pelicans
Thunder Girls[23] Oklahoma City Thunder
Sixers Dancers[24] Philadelphia 76ers
Suns Dancers[25] Phoenix Suns
Timberwolves Dance Team[1] Minnesota Timberwolves
Kings Royal Court Dancers[26] Sacramento Kings
Dance Pak[27] Toronto Raptors
Jazz Dancers[28] Utah Jazz
Wizards Dancers[29] Washington Wizards

The only team currently without traditional NBA dancers is the San Antonio Spurs.[30] Until 2018, they had a dance squad called the Silver Dancers.

Notable NBA cheerleaders

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Chicago Bulls

Maya Hayes (1996-1999) – dancer and choreographer Currently the Founder and President of the National Basketball Dancer Alumni Club est. 2023. She also served as the game day entertainment coordinator and choreographer for the Jr. Basketball League under the direction of Mr. LaVar Ball.

Dallas Mavericks
  • Cindy Villarreal (1989–90) – choreographer
  • Kandi Harris (2004–05) – fiancee of Hunter Mahan[31]
  • Jill Marie Jones – actress, Toni on Girlfriends
  • Maya Hayes (2007-2009) – dancer and choreographer Currently the Founder and President of the National Basketball Dancer Alumni Club est. 2023. She also served as the game day entertainment coordinator and choreographer for the Jr. Basketball League under the direction of Mr. LaVar Ball.

Denver Nuggets
  • Lindsey Kovacevich (2005–07) – anchor and reporter of KVAL-TV

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat
  • Jessica Sutta (1999–2002) – singer, dancer, actress, member of the pop girl group Pussycat Doll
  • Trista Rehn (2000–02) – contestant on The Bachelor season 1
  • Jenni Croft (2005–06) – contestant on The Bachelor season 11
  • Layla El (2004–06) – model, dancer, actress, wrestler
  • Hennely Jimenez (2006–07) – Actress, starred in the film 200 mph
  • Kristina Akra – reporter for Fox Sports South
  • Traci Young-Byron – (8 Year Vet) MTV's America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 Lifetime's Bring it Set it up

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets

New Orleans Hornets

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

Portland Trail Blazers
  • Caysie Torrey (1997–98) – dancer, actress, clothing model
  • Shannon Bex (1999–2004) – singer, dancer, former member of Danity Kane

Sacramento Kings
  • Vanessa Born (2001–03) – actress and dancer
  • Aubrey Aquino – TV reporter and host[33]

Toronto Raptors
  • Nicole Arbour – YouTube comedian and provocateur
  • Nikki Grant (2007–09) – actress

Utah Jazz

See also

References
  1. NBA Dance Teams, I Love This Game, Manlyweb.com
  2. Atlanta Hawks Dance Team | Main Page | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE ATLANTA HAWKS
  3. BLAZERS: Blazer Dancers
  4. Game Night Entertainment | Celtics.com - The official website of the Boston Celtics
  5. Brooklynettes
  6. Honeybees
  7. Chicago Luvabulls | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE CHICAGO BULLS
  8. "PowerHouse 2019-20". Cleveland Cavaliers. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  9. mavericks dancers | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE DALLAS MAVERICKS
  10. NUGGETS: 2009–10 Nuggets Dancers
  11. Automotion | The Official Site Of The Detroit Pistons
  12. WARRIORS: Warrior Girls 2005–06
  13. "The Memphis Grizz Girls". NBA.com.
  14. ROCKETS: Clutch City Dancers
  15. Pacemates Home | The Official Site Of The Indiana Pacers
  16. Knicks City Dancers – Home
  17. CLIPPERS: Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team
  18. Meet the 2005–06 Laker Girls | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS
  19. MAGIC: 2011–12 Orlando Magic Dancers
  20. HEAT: Miami HEAT Dancers
  21. BUCKS: Energee!
  22. Pelicans Dance Team
  23. Oklahoma City Thunder | Thunder Girls
  24. SIXERS: 2011–12 Sixers Dancers
  25. SUNS: Phoenix Suns Dance Team
  26. KINGS: Kings Royal Court Dancers
  27. RAPTORS: 2005–06 Raptors Dance Pak!
  28. Jazz: Dance | The Official Site Of The Utah Jazz
  29. WIZARDS: | Wizards Dancers | Washington Wizards
  30. "San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers upset over decision to disband squad for 'family friendly' co-ed 'hype team'". Fox News. 23 May 2018.
  31. Up & Down: It's good to be Hunter ... Mahan, that is - Golf, PGA Tour - CBSSports.com PGA, News, Leaderboard Scores, Schedule and Stats
  32. "Ali Dee - Home". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-06.
  33. Aubrey Up Close
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