# What is the most iconic hairstyle in basketball history?

> Basketball players have always used their hair as a form of self-expression — from Dennis Rodman's wild colors to Allen Iverson's iconic cornrows and Julius Erving's massive afro. Which hairstyle left the biggest mark on NBA history?

*By YPB Team · Published May 7, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-most-iconic-hairstyle-in-basketball-history*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **Dennis Rodman's Color Hair**
   Dennis Rodman's ever-changing rainbow of dye jobs throughout the 1990s — blonde, red, blue, green, rainbow — the most theatrical hair in NBA history.
2. **Allen Iverson's Cornrows**
   AI's cornrows were a cultural statement that drew controversy and sparked an NBA dress code debate, cementing his status as a generational icon of self-expression.
3. **Julius Erving's Afro**
   Dr. J's massive afro in the 1970s ABA and early NBA years was a symbol of Black pride and perfectly matched his gravity-defying game.
4. **Larry Bird's Mullet**
   The Hick from French Lick's magnificent flowing mullet defined the look of the early 1980s Celtics dynasty and became inseparable from his legend.
5. **Ben Wallace's Afro**
   Big Ben's enormous afro at the Detroit Pistons was the perfect visual complement to his ferocious defensive play — the most intimidating hair in the league.
6. **Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Afro**
   Kareem's full, dignified afro from his Milwaukee Bucks and early Lakers years made him an icon of the civil rights movement era and 1970s basketball culture.
7. **Michael Jordan's Fade**
   MJ's close-cropped fade became the template for a generation of players seeking a clean, focused, dominant image — perfectly reflecting his competitive genius.
8. **Iman Shumpert's Flat Top**
   Shumpert's dramatic high-top fade at the New York Knicks was a bold revival of the 1980s flat-top, making him one of the most visually striking players of the 2010s.
9. **Chris 'Birdman' Andersen's Mohawk**
   Birdman's massive gelled mohawk combined with full-sleeve tattoos made him one of the most visually arresting characters ever to take the NBA court.
10. **LeBron James's Hairline**
   LeBron's retreating and then dramatically restored hairline became a decade-long talking point — an unintentional but unmistakable part of NBA cultural history.
11. **Ja Morant's Dreads**
   The Memphis Grizzlies guard's free-flowing dreadlocks perfectly capture his explosive, unpredictable style of play and have made him the face of modern NBA cool.
12. **Walt Frazier's Wide-Brimmed Hat Look**
   Clyde Frazier's 1970s wide-brimmed hats and cool moustache created a suave, film-noir-inspired look that was decades ahead of its time in professional sports.
13. **Oscar Robertson's Pompadour**
   The Big O's neat, high pompadour in the early 1960s was a distinguished, polished style that carried the elegance of a jazz musician onto the hardwood.
14. **Kyrie Irving's Braids**
   Kyrie's long braids and locs have been one of the defining visual signatures of 2010s and 2020s NBA culture, worn with quiet confidence and artisanal care.

Tags: sports, basketball, players, nba, legends, all-time