In 2014, the "Sacramento Bee" described Lincecum as the most beloved San Francisco sports figure since Joe Montana. Because of his "small size and unorthodox pitching delivery, he is an unlikely figure to have reached the pinnacle of his sport", which the "Bee" believes reflects the success of the Giants. Fox Sports in 2014 called him a "local legend and crowd favorite, now and forever." Lincecum was nicknamed "The Freak" by his University of Washington teammates because of his athletic abilities and his ability to generate powerful pitches from his athletic but slight physique. Giants fans continued to refer to him by the moniker during his time with the team.