The 5 most iconic hairstyles in the history of the NBA

5. The bald look

The only look on this list that doesn’t have a player’s name attached to it, which is exactly the reason why it snuck into fifth place at all. Many of the best players in the history of the league have been bald, either by choice (Michael Jordan. I think, I’ve never asked him) or because father time took it too soon (LeBron James went down this route, before miraculously fighting back).

At every stage throughout the history of the league, a dominant player or team has been on top, without actually having anything on top. Shaquille O’Neal with the Los Angeles Lakers. When he left, the late Kobe Bryant, who had hair while Shaq was there, went bald himself and dominated for several years.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the latter stages of his career, again with the Lakers. Perhaps it’s just the weather in Los Angeles that has guys getting rid of their hair? Frederic Weis. (just making sure you’re still with us, although like Alex Caruso today he perhaps should have gotten rid of what he had as it thinned before our eyes).

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1246787328686927873

Even Stephen Curry has flirted with the idea, although we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that’s just a tight cut. Whatever the reason, having no hair has been a thing in the league for the majority of the time it has been a thing, and it may be no coincidence that the best players have fallen into this category.

This is a trend that looks set to continue and for that reason will keep the bald look on this list for a long time to come. Though, it never has a chance to go any higher and is simply a precursor to the fantastic and out there hairstyles that are to come next.