Gervin irked Bears’ Williams filed trademark for ‘Iceman’

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams’ try and trademark the moniker “Iceman” is going through scrutiny from a legendary NBA participant who shares the identical nickname.

George Gervin, the Corridor of Famer and four-time NBA scoring champion, informed ESPN that he was “caught off guard” when he realized that Williams had tried to trademark “Iceman,” the nickname that Williams earned throughout the 2025 season for his late-game performances that culminated with the Bears successful their first playoff sport in 15 years.

“I have been the Iceman for 40-something years,” Gervin stated. “I by no means thought anyone would attempt to trademark it. He form of knocked me out the field.”

On March 16, Caleb Williams Holding Inc. filed 4 trademark purposes with the US Patent and Trademark Workplace associated to the “Iceman” nickname. In accordance with the trademark software, items and companies associated to the identify embody athletic sporting items and tools, water bottles, T-shirts, sweatshirts, jerseys, hats, eyewear and downloadable posters and digital buying and selling playing cards.

On March 20, Gervin Pursuits LLC filed two trademark purposes for “Iceman” and “Iceman 44,” the latter of which references the jersey quantity Gervin wore all through his NBA profession. In 1987, the San Antonio Spurs retired Gervin’s quantity.

One of many largest questions, in response to trademark legal professional Josh Gerben of Gerben IP, is how trademark rights are considered. Gerben stated Gervin may declare that though he did not file the trademark, he was utilizing it earlier than Williams though Williams filed it first.

However since Williams filed his software first, the USPTO may settle for Williams’ software and refuse Gervin’s.

A call on the matter is probably going a number of months away.

If Williams’ software is accepted, Gerben stated, “George may have a 30-day interval wherein he can file a proper opposition to Caleb’s purposes and say they should not be registered as a result of I used to be utilizing these emblems way back and the general public associates the identify with me.”

Jerald Barisano, the president and CEO of Gervin World Administration, informed ESPN that he and Gervin will plan to file an opposition with the USPTO if Williams’ trademark software is authorised and theirs just isn’t. Gervin’s publicist of 42 years additionally stated that they’ll take into account authorized motion sooner or later.

Gerben stated neither get together can file an opposition till a choice is made, however they might speak and are available to an settlement at any time.

There may be one different wrinkle, too. UFC legend Chuck Liddell filed for a trademark in 2023 for “Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell.” Gerben stated the USPTO may determine that mark is much like each Williams’ and Gervin’s.

“The USPTO may simply, simply refuse Caleb Williams’ software and George Gervin’s software,” Gerben stated. “Due to Chuck’s pending purposes ready there first.”

Messages left with Liddell and his trademark attorneys weren’t instantly returned to ESPN.

Gerben stated it was “a little bit uncommon” for 3 outstanding athletes to name themselves “the Iceman.”

The Spurs provided their assist for Gervin on the crew’s X account, posting a graphic of Gervin sitting on a throne of ice blocks with the caption, “there’s just one Iceman.”

Reached by telephone on Thursday, Gervin stated he felt pressured to file a trademark software after studying that Williams had already performed so 4 days prior. Gervin and Barisano stated that they had tried to trademark “Iceman” in 2023 when the legal professional they employed to file with the USPTO died of a coronary heart assault.

Whereas Gervin stated he has not spoken with Williams or any members of Williams’ advertising crew, he stated he would love an opportunity to work one thing out between the 2 events.

“I am fairly positive me and him going to get an opportunity to speak,” Gervin stated. “I can form of guess on that. We’re each males. I am an older man. He is a youthful man. Me doing some research on him, what I came upon about him, he respects older athletes.

“I hate it probably the most as a result of, man, he is a particular younger man on the point of come up. His potential is nice and he does have ice in his veins. However that identify is already taken up.”

Messages left with Williams’ advertising crew and trademark attorneys weren’t instantly returned Thursday night.

“We’re not blissful and we’ll let it play out, however we’re not operating away from this man,” Barisano stated. “We will struggle him tooth and nail to the tip.”