Someone's trying to pour hot water on Caleb Williams' "Iceman" nickname.
NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin, who used the same moniker as Williams while playing in the NBA from 1972 to 1986 (primarily with the Spurs), recently filed his own trademark application for the nickname shortly after the Bears' QB attempted to trademark it himself. Now, the United States Patent and Trademark Office will review both applications and determine which party is allowed to profit from the nickname's use.
there's only one Iceman 🥶 pic.twitter.com/qM76nchyIW
— San Antonio Spurs - x (@spurs) March 26, 2026
Here's a look at everything we know about the quasi-dispute thus far:
How did this start?
On March 16, Williams filed four trademark applications regarding his "Iceman" title: one related to a name, one related to a logo and two related to silhouettes of his game-winning pass to Rome Odunze in the Bears' playoff win over the Packers in January.
Four days later, in response to Williams, Gervin filed trademark applications for "Iceman" and "Iceman 44," the latter an homage to his jersey number.
Why is Gervin doing this?
Gervin, 73, insists he is not acting out of malice; he is simply hoping to hold on to something he long believed was his. In his application, he made clear that the "Iceman" nickname was associated with him well before Williams was even born.
"I've got nothing but respect for [Williams]," Gervin told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday. "He's already proved greatness and his potential upside is great. Like an 'Iceman.' But that name is taken. … All I'm saying is: Young fella, we've already got one 'Iceman.'"
Apparently, the president of Gervin Global Management also believed Gervin already had a trademark on the nickname, and that the confusion there was the result of the death of a business associate.
"We are hoping the inspectors will do the right thing," company president and CEO Jerald Barisano told the Sun-Times. "All they've got to do is one Google search and they'll see hundreds and hundreds of articles on the 'Iceman,' George Gervin."
Who settles the dispute?
The issue will now be handled by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The review process could take over a year, depending.
Barisano said he and Gervin plan to contest the trademark if it is awarded to Williams.
Colloquially, there's a good chance both players can and will still share the nickname in the media or among fans, outcome aside; what the trademark decision will affect, however, is the ability to profit from it. Only the winner will be able to do that.
How did Gervin get the 'Iceman' nickname?
In 1978, Gervin was photographed sitting on a throne of ice and wearing an "ICE"-emblazoned silver tracksuit for a Nike poster. The phrase "ICEMAN" was included across the bottom of the picture in bold letters. This campaign is what really popularized Gervin's connection to the name, though it also stemmed from his cool attitude and slick jump shots during games.
“If you take a real deep look at it, Iceman is synonymous with me, since the ’70s,” Gervin told the San Antonio Express-News. “My Iceman poster has been out forever.”
Asked why he never trademarked the name before, Gervin said: "You know what? We don’t do a lot of things. You know what I’m saying?”
Notably, Gervin did meet another Iceman once, well before Williams popped on the scene: Chicago singer Jerry Butler. The shared moniker didn't bother Gervin in that instance, however, because he and Butler were famous for different reasons, he told the Sun-Times.
How did Williams get the 'Iceman' nickname?
Williams made a number of clutch, game-winning plays last season, when he led the Bears to the top of the NFC North and the divisional round of the 2025 playoffs. As a result, fans would often say he had "ice in his veins," especially late in games. Williams then leaned into the nickname with a matching celebration in which he crossed his arms and rubbed both his shoulders, as though he were cold.
ICEMAN pic.twitter.com/Cq3rICf15O
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 21, 2025
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Budding 'Iceman' Trademark Dispute Between Caleb Williams and George Gervin, Explained.
