By Matt Moret | The Athletic, 2026-03-26 20:02:11
篮球名人堂成员乔治·格文 (George Gervin) 正在对芝加哥熊队四分卫凯莱布·威廉姆斯 (Caleb Williams) 申请“冰人 (Iceman)”绰号商标的行为提出异议。
格文是一位NBA和ABA的传奇人物，在他14年的美国职业生涯中，曾效力于弗吉尼亚绅士队、圣安东尼奥马刺队和芝加哥公牛队。周三，他告诉《芝加哥太阳报》：“我们已经有一个‘冰人’了。”
“我对（威廉姆斯）充满敬意，”格文告诉《太阳报》，“他已经证明了自己的卓越，他的潜力巨大，确实像个‘冰人’。但这个名字已经有人用了。”
在经历了充满末节逆转和关键表现的2025-26赛季NFL赛季后，威廉姆斯被赋予了这一称号。在带领熊队闯入国联分区赛的过程中，做出搓肩膀仿佛很冷的动作成了他的标志性庆祝方式。他上周提交了两份商标申请，涵盖了“Iceman”一词以及一个包含该名称的标志。
然而，格文自1973年ABA首秀以来就一直使用这个绰号，当时是由队友罗兰·“胖子”·泰勒 (Roland “Fatty” Taylor) 为他起的。格文从1979年开始将其用于商业用途。尽管使用了这个名号几十年，格文却从未在美利坚合众国专利及商标局（USPTO）获得正式商标，因为他一直以为已经注册过了。据《太阳报》报道，他的经纪人将这一疏忽归咎于一位商业伙伴的去世。
在威廉姆斯提交商标申请后，格文也随即提交了他自己的申请，要求在体育领域使用“Iceman”和“Iceman 44”。双方都在寻求将该绰号用于各种服装和娱乐服务（如球星卡）的权利。
威廉姆斯的商标申请还包括两个剪影，描绘了这位四分卫在熊队外卡赛战胜格林贝包装工队的比赛中，跳起并在第四档进攻中传球给罗马·奥顿泽 (Rome Odunze) 的轮廓。
格文在1977年至1982年间曾九次入选NBA全明星，五次入选最佳阵容第一阵容，四次入选ABA全明星，并四次荣膺NBA得分王。他入选了NBA 50周年和75周年纪念阵容，马刺队于1987年退役了他的44号球衣。他职业生涯总得分26,595分，位列历史第47位。
作为一名功勋卓著的射手，乔治·格文职业生涯场均贡献26.2分。（Malcolm Emmons / Imagn Images）
结束球员生涯后，格文在1992年至1994年间担任马刺队的助理教练。1996年，他入选篮球名人堂。2022年，The Athletic 将他评为NBA历史上第42位最伟大的球员。
虽然格文从未获得过总冠军，但他是NBA历史上仅有的四位能在单赛季场均得到30分且投篮命中率达到50%的后卫之一。与他共享这一殊荣的还有迈克尔·乔丹 (Michael Jordan)、斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry) 和谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)。
格文还与蒂莫西·柴勒梅德 (Timothée Chalamet) 一同出演了2025年的电影《马蒂·最高》(Marty Supreme)，在片中饰演一名乒乓球俱乐部老板。该片获得了九项奥斯卡提名。
威廉姆斯尚未对这场商标之争发表评论，但他上赛季对“冰人”这个称号表示认可。
“老实说，这很有趣。当你想到冰时，冰是静止的，看起来很冷静，但其下方蕴含着纯粹的能量，”威廉姆斯在11月接受“福克斯NFL周日”采访时表示，“我也有同样的心态。在那些时刻，我的外表感觉最冷静，但内心却有很多波澜。”
针对这两份相互竞争的申请，短期内不太可能做出决定。据商标律师乔希·格本 (Josh Gerben) 称，商标申请过程通常需要14到18个月。USPTO必须审查这些申请，如果获得批准，将进行为期30天的公示，期间第三方可以对注册提出质疑。
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：Caleb Williams’ ‘Iceman’ trademark request challenged by NBA legend George Gervin
Caleb Williams’ ‘Iceman’ trademark request challenged by NBA legend George Gervin
Basketball Hall of Famer George Gervin is contesting a request to trademark the nickname “Iceman” by Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Gervin, an NBA and ABA legend who played for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls during his 14-year career in the United States, told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday that “we’ve already got one ‘Iceman.’”
“I’ve got nothing but respect for (Williams),” Gervin told the Sun-Times. “He’s already proved greatness, and his potential upside is great. Like an ‘Iceman.’ But that name is taken.”
Williams had the label bestowed upon him after a 2025-26 NFL season filled with late-game comebacks and clutch plays. Rubbing his shoulders as if he were cold became a common celebration for Williams as he led the Bears to the NFC Divisional round, and a pair of trademark applications he filed last week cover the term “Iceman” and a logo featuring the name.
Gervin, however, has used the nickname since teammate Roland “Fatty” Taylor bestowed it upon him during Gervin’s ABA debut in 1973. Gervin began using it for commercial purposes in 1979. Despite decades of using the moniker, however, Gervin never held an official trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because he thought one was already in place. His manager attributed the oversight to the death of a business associate, according to the Sun-Times.
Once Williams filed his trademark request, Gervin moved to submit his own applications for the use of “Iceman” and “Iceman 44” within the sports realm. Both are seeking the right to use the nickname in a variety of apparel and entertainment services, such as trading cards.
Williams’ trademark requests also include two silhouettes that show an outline of the quarterback throwing a leaping fourth-down pass to Rome Odunze in the Bears’ Wild-Card win against the Green Bay Packers.
Gervin was a nine-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA First Team selection, four-time ABA All-Star and four-time NBA scoring champion between 1977 and 1982. He was chosen for the 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams, and the Spurs retired his number, 44, in 1987. His 26,595 career points rank 47th all-time.
A highly decorated shooter, George Gervin averaged 26.2 points per game during his career. (Malcolm Emmons / Imagn Images)
After his playing career, Gervin became an assistant coach for the Spurs from 1992 to 1994. A Basketball Hall of Fame induction followed in 1996. In 2022, The Athletic ranked him as the 42nd greatest player in NBA history.
While he never won a championship, Gervin is one of just four NBA guards to average 30 points per game and make 50 percent of his field goal attempts in a season. He shares that distinction with Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gervin also appeared alongside Timothée Chalamet as a table tennis club owner in 2025’s “Marty Supreme,” which was nominated for nine Academy Awards.
Williams has not commented on the trademark duel, but approved of the “Iceman” title last season.
“It’s interesting, to be honest, when you think of ice, ice is still, ice looks calm, but underneath is pure energy,” Williams said during an interview with “Fox NFL Sunday” in November. “That’s the same mindset I have. In those moments, I feel at my calmest on the outside, but there’s a lot going on inside.”
A decision on the competing applications is unlikely anytime soon. According to trademark attorney Josh Gerben, the trademark process usually takes between 14 and 18 months. The USPTO must review the requests and, if approved, publish them for a 30-day window during which a third party can challenge the registrations.
By Matt Moret, via The Athletic
