NBA players make it to the spotlight for more than just their skills on the basketball court. Some stand out for their controversial lifestyles (e.g. Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, etc.), some others for their tattoos (e.g. Wilson Chandler, Kevin Durant, Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen, etc.), religious beliefs (e.g. Hakeem Olajuwon, A.C. Green, etc.), charisma (e.g. Chris Anderson, Carmelo Anthony, Jeremy Lin, etc.), friendly relationship with the media (e.g. Jamal Crawford, Michael Jordan, etc.), or the scandals in which they get involved (e.g. Kermit Washington, Tim Hardaway, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, etc.)
But how about physical appearance? Is physique worthy of attention? It definitely is! Many NBA players are an explosive cocktail of looks, charisma, athletic performance, and personality, making them irresistible in the eyes of their fans. James Harden, Kelly Oubre Jr., Wesley Matthews, Luka Doncic, Blake Griffin, Sterling Brown, Andre Iguodala, Terry Rozier, Ben Simmons, Serge Ibaka, or Kevin Love are only some of the physically-fortunate NBA players who mesmerize their fans with their physical fitness, spiffy haircuts and grooming, and fashion sense.
However, there is a reverse side to the ‘attractiveness’ coin. Let’s say that some NBA players have not been very fortunate physically-wise. In today’s article, we will take a look at the 25 ugliest NBA players of all time.
25 ugliest NBA players of all time
1. Gheorghe Muresan
Age: 50
Height: 7’7″
Team: Washington Bullets, New Jersey Jets, Maryland Nighthawks
Position: Centre
Towering and leggy, this giant NBA player can easily fit into the tallest NBA line-up squad of all time. Apart from his somewhat scary height, his facial traits don’t help the case either: small, beady, half-closed eyes that seem to hide behind a big nose.
2. Sam Cassell
Age: 52
Height: 6’3″
Team: Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics
Position: Point guard
It is impossible to talk about ugly NBA players without mentioning Sam Cassell. Leaving aside his outstanding NBA career, Sam looks like the joint reincarnation of Golum and E.T. Blame it on the shape of his head, his teeth, his lower jaw, or his small, separated eyes, Sam Cassell’s facial traits contradict human standards.
3. Reggie Miller
Age: 56
Height: 6′ 6½”
Team: Indiana Pacers
Position: Guard
Ending his career as the greatest long-range shooter in the history of the NBA, Reggie Miller is remembered not only for his insane skills on the court but also for excelling at ‘trash-talking’ and making it to almost any list that involves the words ‘ugly’ and ‘NBA’.
4. Popeye Jones
Age: 51
Height: 6′ 8″
Team: Aresium Milano, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors
Position: Power forward
Unfortunately for this nice guy, his name seems to have been predestined. But we seriously doubt that spinach could fix everything that went wrong with Popeye’s facial traits: huge ears, crooked smile, crossed-eyed. Can you spot the similarities?
5. Delonte West
Age: 38
Height: 6′ 4″
Position: Point Guard
Teams: Boston Celtics, Seattle Supersonics, Cleveland Cavaliers
Delonte West may have been fearless and extremely skilled on the court…but he is definitely not easy on the eyes! And he is definitely going through rough times. Substances abuse and mental conditions led to the decay of this ex-NBA star.
6. Dennis Rodman
Age: 60
Height: 6′ 7″
Position: Power forward / Small forward
Teams: Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks
Parrot-like hair dyes that range from neon green to pink and orange, eccentric haircuts, countless tattoos and piercings that cover his body from head to toes, or controversial outfits still can’t hide the fact that The Worm is naturally UGLY! It seems that he devoted his efforts to making himself look as ugly as possible.
7. Scottie Pippen
Age: 56
Height: 6′ 8″
Position: Small forward
Teams: Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers
There is no doubt about it: despite his insane skills on the court, Scottie IS an ugly man. His long, strangely shaped nose seems to be jumping right out at you! His nose catches the viewer’s attention, allowing for his droopy eyelids to almost go unnoticed. On a positive note, he does have a nice smile!
8. Tyrone Hill
Age: 53
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power Forward
Teams: Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat
Everybody seems to agree that Tyrone Hill looks like a mummy. His fat nose, plump lips, and strangely shaped ears caused Tyrone to be crowned as a frontrunner on numerous ‘Ugliest NBA Players’ lists.
9. Chris Kaman
Age: 39
Height: 7′ 0″
Position: Centre
Teams: Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers
Now, this guy is definitely not a sight for sore eyes. Where should we start? His eyes seem to have been pushed back deep under his practically invisible eyebrows. While his beard seems to stand the test of time, his hair is slowly losing the battle. Being ginger doesn’t help either. Even his teeth seem to be ginger.
10. Joakim Noah
Age: 36
Height: 6′ 11″
Position: Centre
Teams: Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Westchester Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers
This guy deserves a spot on our list of 25 ugliest NBA players mainly because of his careless hairstyle and, basically, deficient grooming. Maybe the right word to describe him would be goofy.
11. Calvin Booth
Age: 45
Height: 6′ 11″
Position: Power forward / Center
Teams: Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, Seattle SuperSonics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings
Calvin’s head and body seem to be proportionally equal. He probably has the longest and the flattest head and ears ever seen on the court. His crooked teeth crown one of the ugliest heads in the history of the NBA.
12. Anthony Davis
Age: 28
Height: 6′ 10″
Position: Power forward / Centre
Teams: New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers
Are Anthony ‘The Unibrow’ Davis and Freda Kahlo related? Because such eyebrows require strong genetic workings. There are probably more elements that turn Anthony Davis into an ugly man. But we simply couldn’t pass his eyebrows and perpetually surprised look.
13. Andrei Kirilenko
Age: 40
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power forward / Small forward
Teams: Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets
This Russian basketball player and ex-NBA star definitely deserves a spot on our list. Known for his ugly hairstyles and naturally ugly facial features, Kirilenko is also the holder of one of the ugliest tattoos in the history of the NBA. Back in 2006, Kirilenko’s wife admitted that Andrei has her permission to cheat on her once a year. Well, considering his looks, we wouldn’t be too wrong to say that she isn’t taking high risks.
14. D.J. Mbenga
Age: 40
Height: 7′ 0″
Position: Centre
Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets
Take another look at this guy’s picture. Now take a look at this one:
15. Shelden Williams
Age: 38
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power forward / Centre
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets
Do you remember the frog prince waiting to be kissed? Well, this guy did get kissed…by no less than Candace Parker. However, the magic didn’t work!
16. Michael Ruffin
Age: 44
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power forward / Centre
Teams: Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Caprabo Lleida, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers
Michael Ruffin is no handsome prince either. The shape of his head and his facial traits seem to defy all human standards, earning him a well-deserved mention on our list.
17. Donyell Marshall
Age: 48
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power forward / Small forward
Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics, Philadelphia 76ers
It simply feels like the size of his head is not directly proportional to the rest of his body or his facial attributes. It’s like crowding normal-sized eyes, nose, and mouth on a miniature head.
18. Byron Mullens
Age: 48
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power forward / Small forward
Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics, Philadelphia 76ers
It simply feels like the size of his head is not directly proportional to the rest of his body or his facial attributes. It’s like crowding normal-sized eyes, nose, and mouth on a miniature head.
18. Byron Mullens
Age: 32
Height: 7′ 0″
Position: Power forward / Centre
Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder, Tulsa 66ers, Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers
Why did Byron Mullens make it to our list? Well, blame it on his huge eyebrows that seem to reign over the rest of his facial features. His eyes seem to have got into some sort of argument and decided to put distance between them…just like in ugly divorces.
19. Manute Bol
Age: died in 2010 (he was only 47 years old)
Height: 7′ 6″
Position: Centre
Teams: Rhode Island Gulls, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Florida Beach Dogs
Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan seem to have been cut from the same cloth…only that with different colors. Scarily skinny and tall, Manute Bol is one of the tallest players in the history of the NBA. While it is true that he wasn’t very fortunate in the looks department, he is one of the best shot-blockers that have ever graced this sport.
20. Greg Oden
Age: 33
Height: 7’0″
Position: Centre
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat
Even if his facial features are far from ‘refined’, Greg Oden’s biggest issue is that he looks much older than he really is! At only 33, he looks as if he were only one step away from being eligible for an age of pension payment.
21. Tayshaun Prince
Age: 41
Height: 6′ 0″
Position: Small forward
Teams: Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves
While it is true that his long arms give him an undeniable advantage over his opponents, they are not precisely ‘appealing’. Is it us, or does he look like a vulture soaring?
22. Chris Anderson
Age: 43
Height: 6′ 10″
Position: Centre / Power forward
Teams: Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers
It looks like, through the years, the Birdman willingly inked his way to our list. The yellow, green, and purple collar around his neck displaying the slogan FREE BIRD – compounded with questionable hairstyles – definitely won him a nomination for the Ugliest NBA Players award.
23. Luis Scola
Age: 41
Height: 6′ 9″
Position: Power forward
Teams: Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets
Luis Scola’s face looks like a pseudo-3D sketch made by a toddler. Nothing seems to fit. Luis looks more like a very hard tried boxer than a basketball player.
24. Troy Murphy
Age: 41
Height: 6′ 11″
Position: Power forward / Centre
Teams: Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks
His semi-closed eyes hide behind a big nose that seems to have been broken multiple times.
25. Kurt Rambis
Age: 63
Height: 6′ 8″
Position: Power forward
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings
We wouldn’t say that Kurt Rambis is exactly ugly… Maybe nerdy? Those glasses would have turned anyone into an ugly duckling!
We hope you had fun going through our list of 25 ugliest NBA players, because this was just for fun, seeing NBA legends from a different perspective.
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Michael Jordan should have been on the list of ugliest NBA players. Also, Bill Walton. Both players looked butt-ugly then, they still look butt-ugly now!