The primary reason why dreads are common has yet to be known to the world. Some of the NBA players do still follow the legacy.
Through the growth of the Rastafari movement in Jamaica, the concept and the hairstyle spread throughout the West thanks to reggae performers like Bob Marley.
The research done by many people has shown that most of the NBA players have had attractive dreadlocks on and off the court. The reason why these NBA players are much more into dreadlocks is yet to be known. But commonly, NBA players are often considered the highest on the list of players who got dreadlocks, a hairstyle in which hair strands are linked into rope-like portions.
The fascinating look that dreadlock could give is tough to get from the everyday look. The player stared adopting the hairstyle to look probable, or they followed their idol. It has not been revealed.
Most of the NBA players from African countries are seen wearing dreadlocks, and if most people don’t know it, the culture of wearing dreadlocks started in Egypt around 1400 BCE. This is the fact that the origin of Dreadlock was Ancient Egypt.
The same culture followed by some famous people could have been the primary reason that NBA players adopted it.
20. Chris Bosh
NBA fans noticed Chris Bosh's unusual hairstyle in Toronto. With his signature locks cropped off, he has a more subdued appearance in Miami.
In 2016, after being diagnosed with blood clots, Bosh's career ended unexpectedly. As a result, he missed the 2016–17 basketball season, and in 2017 he declared his retirement.
Despite having a brief professional career, Bosh is one of his generation's top power forwards. His contributions to the Miami Heat's success in the 2010s will always be remembered.
Bosh is a former NBA player who spent time with the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. He was an NBA All-Star and played for the Miami Heat, with whom he won two NBA titles.
Throughout a career cut short just as he was about to break out, Chris Bosh was frequently overshadowed by more fabulous names. But in 2021, the Hall of Fame recognized his accomplishments by inducting him.
19. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony has historically been among the NBA's top scorers and is still regarded as one of its best players. He is instantly recognizable thanks to his unusual dreadlocks and is still a favourite among admirers.
Anthony is the top NBA player sporting dreadlocks. He is a 10-time NBA All-Star and an Olympic gold medalist. On and off the court, he frequently flexes his dreads, which have helped him establish himself as a fashion star.
Anthony's parents are from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, and he was born in Brooklyn, New York. He played street basketball as a child, and a Syracuse University coach subsequently came across him. The Denver Nuggets selected him in the 2003 NBA Draft following a standout college career.
In his first two postseasons in New York, Anthony's personal pattern of first-round playoff exits persisted. Still, in the 2012–13 campaign, he led the Knicks to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference while averaging 28.7 points per game, which led the NBA.
18. Drew Gooden
Basketball player Drew Gooden has represented several NBA teams while playing professionally, and what makes him distinctive from the others is his dreadlocks!
Gooden's unusual hairstyle, praised as a symbol of strength and originality, has drawn accolades. Some supporters have expressed that Gooden's dreadlocks give him a competitive edge. It is undeniable that Gooden's dreadlocks set him apart as a player.
Drew has recently been vocal about the value of diversity in the NBA. He has asked the league to do more to advance racial equality and pushed other players to embrace their distinctive playing styles. Gooden's comments, which have spurred crucial discussions about race in the NBA, have received appreciation from many fans.
17. Amar’e Stoudemire
Among the best NBA players, Amar'e Stoudemire has dreadlocks. He was a center and power forward for the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and New York Knicks.
He made the NBA First Team four times and was an All-Star six times. Stoudemire was well-known for his agility and his soaring dunks. After 15 seasons in the NBA, he retired in 2016.
Amar'e was raised by a variety of people other than his parents, including a police officer named Burney Hayes, who he lived with on occasion. The player also shared housing with Rev. Bill Williams, a pastor, and Travis King, the coach of his Fastbreak USA AAU squad. The athlete didn't start playing basketball professionally until he was fourteen.
16. Richard Hamilton
Throughout his time in the league, Hamilton regularly used his trademark corner jump shot. Additionally, he was well-known for his career-long dreadlocks. NBA players other than Hamilton are also responsible for the hairstyle's popularity.
More than just NBA players are affected by Hamilton's influence on fashion and society. He is recognized for popularizing the wearing of headbands by athletes and establishing trends in the sneaker scene.
Although Hamilton has achieved a lot on the court, his personality off the field has cemented his status as an iconic figure. He was one of the league's most recognized players because his dreadlocks were consistently maintained and styled. He was among the first athletes to embrace fashion, regularly sporting contemporary looks in post-game interviews.
15. Allen Iverson
One of the most recognizable NBA players of all time is Allen Iverson. He was well renowned for his fashion sense, and his trademark hairstyle was a set of dreadlocks.
Iverson continuously experimented with fashion, giving a generation of NBA players the confidence to express themselves through their personal sense of style.
He won the scoring title four times, was an 11-time all-star, a seven-time All-NBA player, and the NBA MVP in 2000–01. He had a career-high scoring average of 33.0 points in his final season with the Sixers and 31.1 points on average the year he won MVP.
14. JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee has consistently had great hair. He never failed to astound his admirers with his incredible yet odd hairdos.
McGee played for the Washington Wizards to start his NBA career. The Washington Wizards selected McGee with the 18th overall choice in the 2008 NBA Draft after he attended Hales Franciscan High School in Illinois and then Nevada.
He also spent four seasons with the Washington Wizards, five with the Denver Nuggets, one with the Philadelphia 76ers, two with the Golden State Warriors, two with the Los Angeles Lakers, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and one with the Phoenix Suns throughout his NBA career. In 2022, he signed on with the Dallas Mavericks.
McGee has sported several hairstyles throughout his career, such as top-up dreadlocks and braided rat tails. JaVale is recognized for his distinctive braids that became popular in the NBA, possibly even more so than his excellent playing style.
13. Jordan Hill
Hill is renowned for his boundless energy and resiliency. He was chosen for the 2013 All-NBA Third Team and has been an NBA All-Star three times.
Jordan Hill, a professional basketball player from the United States, was drafted by the New York Knicks as the 8th choice in the 2009 NBA Draft. Additionally, he has suited up for the Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets.
Since he was in college, Hill has had dreadlocks.
Hill has been among the league's most reliable players since joining. In his eight seasons in the NBA, he has averaged double digits in both points and rebounds per game. Hill has repeatedly shown his ability to get along with people in all parts of his life, including school, college, and his professional career. He won the admiration of the basketball spectators by thrilling them with his outstanding skills.
12. Jimmy Butler
Six-time NBA All-Star Butler took home the league's most improved player honor in 2015. His contemporaries selected him as one of the NBA's Top 100 players in 2015.
Recently, Jimmy Butler took over NBA Twitter by posting a picture of himself with full dreadlocks. He had a much shorter hairstyle just a few months earlier, so many people were shocked.
Butler said he might bring them back at some point in the future, although he trimmed them short.
11. Chris Wilcox
Wilcox is a great athlete known for his dunks. Additionally, he has been a member of two All-Star teams.
Power forward Chris Wilcox weighs 235 pounds and is 6'10". In the opening round of the 2002 NBA Draft, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers. Additionally, he has played with the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, and Detroit Pistons.
10. DeAndre Jordan
When DeAndre started growing his hair and eventually transforming it into dreadlocks, there was a jubilant commotion on social media.
He's playing the style game with the way he looks right now. Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. is an American basketball player who competes for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. His birthday is July 21, 1988. Currently, Deandre is among the NBA's most well-liked players.
He is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers right now. Jordan is well-known for his ability to defend the rim and grab rebounds. He has a big social media following and is among the league's most well-liked players. For years, Jordan has worn dreadlocks.
9. Robert Covington
Convington has tried several other hairdos, such as a mohawk, braids, and elaborate top-up dreadlocks. From the front, he has a very attractive and distinctive appearance.
American professional basketball player Robert Covington plays for the National Basketball Association's Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA). He represented Tennessee State University in college basketball.
Covington was born in Bellwood, Illinois, on December 14, 1990. He participated in basketball and track at Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois. He was a three-time all-conference basketball selection who also assisted his team in the 2009 Class 4A state basketball championship. He qualified for the state long jump meet in track.
At Tennessee State University, where he played from 2010 to 2013, Covington got a scholarship to play college basketball. After averaging 2.3 blocks per game as a junior in 2012–13, he was named the Ohio Valley Conference, Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, he finished second in rebounding and had the most steals (2.6 per game) in the conference (9.2 per game).
8. Derrick Rose
In addition to being one of the most well-liked players in the game, Derrick Rose also has some of the league's best dreadlocks.
He has 11 years of league experience and has played on numerous elite clubs. Point guard Rose has scored 19.7 points per game on average throughout his career.
Rose has experienced unquestionable success in his career. He was the youngest player to get the NBA Most Valuable Player Award at 22.
Fans liked Rose's braided hairstyle, especially when playing for the Detroit Pistons. As a Pistons player, he knotted a rubber around his long dreadlocks.
Similarly, he has frequently changed his hair and always looked amazing. He looks great even with his medium-sized dreads.
7. Kenneth Faried
Faried has a set of dreads that are simply amazing. As a rookie with the Nuggets, he had an immediate impact, scoring 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Faried attended Newark Tech while still in high school and was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Later, he continued playing collegiate basketball at Morehead State University, where he was named Player of the Year twice by the Ohio Valley Conference and guided the Eagles to a conference title and a spot in the NCAA tournament during his senior year.
Before entering the 2011 NBA draft, Faried played professionally for a year in Turkey after going undrafted in 2010. Since then, Faried has proven to be one of the league's top rebounders while also developing into a dependable scoring option for Denver.
In his seven NBA seasons, he averaged double digits in points once he was chosen as an NBA All-Star (2013). At the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he earned a gold medal, Faried also competed for the USA Basketball Men's National Team.
6. Mike Conley Jr.
One of those with significant hair superstitions is Mike Conley Jr. His hair is typically done in dreadlocks.
Conley routinely alternates between braids and dreadlocks throughout multiple games. This action triggered a discussion on whether he was superior on social media. He replied that he kept his dreadlocks closed when his team won and opened them when they lost when asked about his new hairdo.
He looked fantastic with both hairstyles, though. As a result, when discussing NBA players with the best hair, he will always be a strong candidate.
Regardless of his hairdo, the Jazz point guard plays with style and grace. Conley scored 9.4 points in his first season and handed out 4.2 assists per game. In a defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers of 134–124, he recorded a season-high 20 points and seven assists.
5. Markelle Fultz
One of the up and coming young players in the league is Markelle Fultz, the first overall choice in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old point guard has already displayed glimmers of his prodigious skill and will continue to improve with time. He is the starting point guard for the group.
Orlando's point guard has had various hairstyles over the years, but he still sports a head full of locs and a faded undercut for a look as sweet as his play.
The basketball player has yet to make a case for himself on the court, but he has undoubtedly done so in the debate over the NBA's top hairstyles.
He can become an outstanding offensive player and a great defender. His ability to get to the hoop and finish around the rim is now his greatest asset. For his position, he also has excellent rebounding skills.
4. Elfrid Payton
One of the NBA's most famous hairlines belonged to Elfrid Payton. His opponent was hindered by his flopsy part that was dangling over his eyes. Many players found it difficult to guard or engage in one-on-one combat with him.
He decided to trim his distinctive hair in 2018. His former Magic teammates think that his effectiveness suffered because of his hair. Therefore, even his teammates were pleased when he decided to chop his hair.
Payton has been compared to Magic Johnson because of his remarkable passing skills and court vision. He got named defensive player of the year by the Sun Belt Conference in his sophomore and junior seasons. He was also chosen to the Second Team All-American and First Team All-Sun Belt teams as a junior.
His hairline was the target of the majority of jokes in the league. His hairline earned him the nicknames "the best defender in the NBA" and "Elfrid Payton stopper" from many fans.
Payton was selected for the NBA All-Inaugural Second Team while playing with the Magic in his rookie season. He was exchanged for guard Tim Frazier by the Pelicans in July 2017.
3. Ja Morant
On the court, Morant is recognized for his ball-handling prowess and for adding some fun and spice to his dreadlocks. One of the league's most entertaining players is Ja Morant.
The Memphis Grizzlies selected him in the 2019 NBA Draft as the second overall choice, and he was the league's Rookie of the Year in 2020. He has thus been terrific for Memphis over his four years in the NBA.
In addition to growing out his dreads, Morant styles, and colours them.
The highlight-reel dunks and explosiveness of Morant are well known. He has been compared to Dwyane Wade and Russell Westbrook. In the NBA, Morant is one of the most exciting players right now and is a rising star.
2. Robin Lopez
Top NBA players with dreadlocks include Robin Lopez. Brook Lopez, the NBA champion in 2021, and he are identical twins. Since 2008, when they first entered the professional league, they have developed as people. While his brother likes his hair to look trendy, Brook likes to keep things basic with his.
With the 15th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns selected him. Later on, in 2012 and 2013, he was dealt to the New Orleans Hornets and Portland.
He has some of the league's curliest hair. His thick, curly hair flutters over his head, which many would find messy, but he loves it. During the regular season of 2009–10, Lopez averaged 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.
1. Ben Wallace
Vallance is renowned for his distinctive playing approach. He is a highly adaptable player who plays strong defence, scores, and rebounds. Thanks to his long arms and large hands, he is an excellent shot blocker. Vallance is a proficient three-point shooter as well.
Since being selected, Vallance has been an essential member of the Pistons. During his first three seasons in the league, he helped them make the playoffs. One of the dreadlocked NBA players in the East was Ben Wallace. As an undrafted free agent, Wallace made his career debut.
Wallace won 4 defensive Player of the Year accolades throughout the course of his career. He played with the Detroit Pistons for nine seasons, making two NBA Finals appearances and winning a title in 2004.
During his fifteen-year career, Wallace won one block championship, two rebounds championships, and six All-Defensive selections. On December 22, 2010, Wallace played his 1,000th game and became NBA history's 95th player to do so.