Every year in March Madness, one of the more intriguing aspects of the tournament doesn't even stem from the action on the court. Rather, it's taking a look at the most interesting names college basketball has to offer.
The 2024 NCAA Tournament is no different. There are a plethora of players who have names that could cause a double take, including Oakland's Rocket Watts, Dayton's Enoch Cheeks, Illinois' Dain Dainja and Texas Tech's Pop Isaacs.
The best of them all may come by way of Northwestern — Boo Buie.
The fifth-year guard is the leading scorer for the Wildcats, averaging 19.3 points per game. Buie came alive in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, dropping 22 points, including four in overtime, to lift Northwestern to an overtime win against Florida Atlantic.
It's no easy task up next for Buie and the Wildcats. No. 8 seed Northwestern has a date with No. 1 seed UConn, which is looking to be the first team to go back-to-back in March Madness since Florida did so in 2006 and 2007. If Northwestern is going to pull off the upset of the defending champs, the team needs Buie to step up.
But why is Buie called Boo? Here is more to know about the nickname of the Northwestern star.
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What is Boo Buie's real name?
Boo Buie's real name is Daniel Richard Buie, according to the Northwestern athletics website.
The story behind the nickname is a simple: He has been called Boo since childhood, and the name has followed him ever since.
"It's just a nickname I've always had, ever since I was born," he said in a 2023 interview.
He said the same in a 2019 article with The Daily Northwestern that he has been called Boo as long as he can remember, always introducing himself with the nickname rather than his birth name.
"That’s what people called me when I was little," Buie said. "And it stuck."
No matter who Buie is talking to — whether a teacher, a coach or even his own mother — it's always Boo, never Daniel.
Boo Buie NIL deals
The combination of Buie's unique nickname and his talent on the court helped him land an NIL deal with Epic Burger, a restaurant located in Chicago that has 11 locations across the state of Illinois. He has a burger named after him, called the Boo Buie Burger.
The special handheld item consists of a burger with pepper jack cheese, bacon, pickles, BBQ and Epic sauce, and an onion ring on top since Buie wears No. 0.
Super excited to officially release the “Boo Burger!”
— BOO BUIE (@booboo_buie) October 16, 2023
A SECRET ITEM ON THE MENU! EXCLUSIVELY AT EPIC BURGER IN Evanston, IL
And Old Orchard Mall Skokie, IL
To try the burger, you can simply ask for the “Boo Burger”
Let me know what you think! Tag @booboo_buie pic.twitter.com/T6UDRRU5tX
"Teaming up with EPIC Burger has been a fun way to kick off the season," Buie said in a statement. "With EPIC Burger close to campus, so many of us students meet up with friends and love the burgers, fries, and shakes. Creating my very own burger has been a blast. I hope everyone likes it."
Boo Buie 2023-24 season stats
- 19.3 points per game
- 5.1 assists per game
- 3.4 rebounds per game
- 1.4 steals per game
- 0.1 blocks per game
- 2.3 turnovers per game
- 44.7% field goal shooting
- 44.1% three-point shooting
- 85.3% free throw shooting
