Detroit Pistons spelling lesson: Be careful spellers this season!

I may seem like a normal and nice enough guy online. It’s true, I am normal and nice, probably. And considering my contributions on DBB are mostly as sweet as some Michigan butternut squash, why would you think anything different?

But — !breaking news! — I can turn into a raging spelling snob when I see names (first or family) of athletes repeatedly misspelled on the internet. I get annoyed and frustrated when I see it. My face stiffens and my eyes twitch. I just can't help this feeling. Maybe I need to find a release for my rage quick. Call me mean, uppity, or just lame, but I do mean well.

Some of my frustration on this spelling thing certainly stems from having my family name misspelled by others in a variety of fascinating and peculiar ways all of my life. But that’s too long of story.

At any rate, for you Detroit Tigers fans who dealt with other Tigers fans on the internet misspelling former pretty well-known Detroit Tiger Ryan Raburn's name as Ryan "Rayburn" for years and years, I indeed felt your pent-up frustration and utter disappointment toward your fellow Tigers fans. Those constant “Rayburn” spellings were unbelievable to witness. Had those fans ever looked at his jersey? Saw his name on a broadcast? I don't know, maybe too many Tigers fans aren't as careful as they should be.

Surely we all make goofs from time to time, you know, those annoying typos and such — I'm certainly very prone to grammar miscues and the like, as DBB editors and even DBB readers can sometimes attest. However, making the same spelling error over and over when you root for or watch someone you are seemingly a fan of — it's kind of funny, but mostly just frustrating. The spelling errors don't mean the offenders are stupid or anything like that, it just likely means that they are careless or they just plain don't care about accuracy.

My message is simply this: don't be careless spellers! Care! Spell people's names right wherever, whenever! Remember Andre Drummond's jersey misspelling two years ago? Too, too, too careless.

So, the 2016-17 NBA season tips off on Tuesday the 25th of October, and the below serves as a simple reminder guide of sorts — perhaps just some tips/suggestions to follow when you spell Detroit Pistons players' names or perhaps other players' names in the NBA (some pronunciation reminders too). There's some subtly tricky names on the Pistons roster that you could easily spell incorrectly. Sometimes we can avoid them by going short, but other times we should learn them. I'm here to hopefully help anyone that wants to be helped and to also save little jerks like myself from further frustration caused by incorrect spelling, of course.

And make no mistake about it, the fans who comment on DBB are the creme of the crop in intelligence and carefulness. Lead the way, folks. I have full faith that you can be the best spellers of NBA players’ names on the internet.

You can rest assured, I'm not going to inundate you with tons of International players' names — that's really not the point of this exercise. Let's simply get our precious Pistons players’ names straight and be aware of some other key players' potentially tough-to-spell names in the league. Remember, we can help lead the way. Let's not contribute to the already huge amount of misspelled NBA players' names on the internet. That's the aim.

Make spelling matter again.

Let's have a little fun with this.

Ray McCallum

M-c-C-A-L-L-U-M

There's a chance he doesn't make the regular season roster, but if he does make it, shall we just stick with writing Ray, as I've been seeing that the most here on DBB. If you are going to go the extra mile and spell his family name, just avoid writing McCollum (C.J.) -- a star guard for the Portland Trailblazers.

Michael Gbinije (BIN-ih-jay)

G-B-I-N-I-J-E

Pistons fans, you need to diligently study Michael's family name. If we allow ‘G’ to replace the actual spelling out of Gbinije on DBB comment threads, then what is this world really coming to? And going with Silent G is only slightly more acceptable. I have faith in you guys to go long or go home.

Boban Marjanovic (BO-bahn Mar-YAWN-oh-vich)

B-O-B-A-N M-A-R-J-A-N-O-V-I-C

Below are a few other options that fans call Boban:

Bobi (Bo-bee). Bobby. Bobinator.

They are all fine options. However, ‘Boban’ has the look and the sound of something legendary. Though, when he dunks tremendously hard on an opponent, let’s go crazy in the comment threads with whatever you can think of, spelling or anything else be damned.

EX. ‘Woah, you guys see that dunk? Horford got Boban-ized!!11!

As Boban becomes one of the best backup centers in the league, let's hope non-Spurs and non-Pistons fans are careful. But, Pistons fans, be forewarned, I'll go tell Boban if you spell his family name wrong. (And he will do nothing about it because he is a giant gentleman)

BONUS: If you want to hear Boban say his first and last name in different instances, check out this site.

Jon Leuer (LOO-er)

J-O-N L-E-U-E-R

His first name is the shortest version it can possibly be, so in theory it should be easier to remember than that long string of e and u.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

K-C-P

Well, most of you sure talk about him enough that it should be a breeze to spell out his full name correctly if we were made to with a loaded gun pointed at our head. Right?

Aron Baynes

A-R-O-N B-A-Y-N-E-S

I think we have Aron's full name down pat, though there will be a day when an ‘Aaron Baynes’ sighting happens. Don’t let it be on DBB!

Darrun Hilliard

D-A-R-R-U-N H-I-L-L-I-A-R-D

Bit of a sneaky name. Make sure you are careful with your vowel choices (don't let former Detroit Red Wing Darren McCarty fool ya) and remember that second i.

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Folks, if all else fails, have the Pistons roster open in another tab for easy reference when you are pounding away on DBB. Or have a note card with tough to spell names on it taped to your computer. Do something, potential spelling offenders. Make it happen. Make peace with spelling.

Other NBA players to keep in mind

J.J. (JJ) Redick

R-E-D-I-C-K

If I had a dollar for every time I read J.J. ‘Reddick’ on the internet. Hate to break it to you all, but ‘Reddick’ has appeared more than a few times on DBB.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAHN-iss ah-deh-toh-KOON-boh)

Don't overdo it, just a simple ‘The Greek Freak’ will work. For now. Once he's a top five player in the league things will change. Every single letter in his name will be required.

LeBron James

That's a capital B, folks. (I've been known to get careless and type a lower case b instead). LeBron does deserves better I think, but ‘Bron’ is acceptable.

Dwyane Wade

D-W-Y-A-N-E

Guys, Wade is in the Central Division now, so step your game up -- it's y before a.

Joel Embiid

E-M-B-I-I-D

The kid is looking pretty good so far -- if healthy he's going to be around for a while as one of the best big men in the league.

Paul Millsap

M-I-L-L-S-A-P

Pistons vs. Hawks very well could be a first round playoff match-up (the Pistons are the 3rd seed obviously). So practice Millsap we should.

Myles Turner

M-Y-L-E-S

As we’ve seen, usually the most simple ones turn out to be the most troublesome. I can foresee Myles being turned into Miles more than a few times. Let's do our part in not being a part of that, DBB!

Jaylen Brown

J-A-Y-L-E-N

Everybody and their brother is talking about the Boston Celtics and this Brown rookie is the real deal to boot. Tons of people will be naming their kids Jaylen in no time.

Justise Winslow

J-U-S-T-I-S-E

The DBB all-time favorite makes an appearance.

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Finally it’s your turn, DBB. If you got any particular NBA names you want us to be careful about, just write ‘em.