NBA Players With Dreads. Top 20 List

The NBA has seen a recent surge in the number of players with dreads. 

From rookies to All-Stars, more and more players are rocking the hairstyle. And while some may say it’s simply a trend, there’s no denying that dreads have become a staple in the league. 

So who are the top NBA players with dreads? 

We’ve compiled a list of the best of the best, so you can see just how stylish and talented these players are.

20 NBA Players With Dreadlocks

What exactly is it about dreadlocks that makes these players so inspired? Is it because they enjoy the look? Because it’s cool? Or because they feel like they need something new to set themselves apart from everyone else around them? 

Whatever the reason, there’s no doubt that players with dreads are some of the most stylish and popular guys in the NBA. 

 Here are some NBA players who are rocking some seriously cool dreads:

1. Ben Wallace

Ben Vallance is one of the top NBA players with dreads. He is a 6’9″ power forward who plays for the Detroit Pistons. 

Vallance is known for his unique style of play. He is a very versatile player who can score, rebound, and defend well. His long arms and big hands make him a very good shot blocker. Vallance is also an excellent three-point shooter.

Vallance has been a key player for the Pistons since he was drafted. He has helped them make the playoffs in his first three seasons in the league. Ben Wallace was one of the NBA players in the east with dreadlocks. Wallace made his professional debut as an undrafted free agent.

Throughout his career, Wallace received four Defensive Player of the Year awards. During his nine seasons with the Detroit Pistons, he appeared in two NBA Finals and won a championship in 2004.

Wallace was a one-time blocks champion, a two-time rebounding champion, and a six-time All-Defensive player during his fifteen-year career.

Wallace played his 1,000th game on December 22, 2010, becoming the 95th player in NBA history to do so.

2. Robin Lopez

Robin Lopez is one of the top NBA players with dreads. He is the twin brother of Brook Lopez, the 2021 NBA champion. Their professional league career began in 2008, and they have established themselves as individuals.

While Brook prefers to keep things simple with his hair, his brother prefers it to be funky-looking.

The Phoenix Suns selected him with the 15th overall pick in the NBA Draft of 2008. He was later traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2012 and Portland in 2013.

His hair is among the curliest in the league. Many people would consider his massive curly hair untidy as it flutters around his head, but he adores it.

Lopez averaged 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game in the 2009-10 regular season.

3. Ja Morant

Ja Morant is one of the top NBA players with dreads. He is a point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies. He was born on August 10 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina. Morant played college basketball for Murray State University. In the 2019 NBA Draft, he was selected second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Morant is renowned on the court for his skill with the ball and for giving his dreadlocks some fun and spice. Ja Morant is, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining players in the league.

He is the Memphis Grizzlies’ second overall draft pick in 2019 and the 2020 National Basketball Association (NBA) Rookie of the Year. Hence, he’s been in the NBA for about four years and has been fantastic for Memphis.

He has an athletic body as an NBA player. He is also 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters) tall.

Morant styles and dyes his dreads in addition to growing them out.

Morant is known for his explosiveness and highlight-reel dunks. He has been compared to Russell Westbrook and Dwyane Wade. Morant is a rising star in the NBA and has quickly become one of the league’s most exciting players.

4. Elfrid Payton

Elfrid Payton is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans. Before the Orlando Magic selected him with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, he played college basketball for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Elfrid Payton had one of the NBA’s most recognizable hairlines. His flopsy part hanging over his eyes got in the way of his opponent. As a result, many players struggled to guard him or play him one-on-one.

In 2018, he decided to cut his signature hair. His former Magic teammates believe his hair hampered his performance. Therefore, even his teammates were happy when he decided to cut his hair.

Payton is known for his exceptional passing ability and court vision, which has led to him being compared to Magic Johnson. In both his sophomore and junior years, he received the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. As a junior, he was also named First Team All-Sun Belt and Second Team All-American by various publications.

In the league, his hairline was the subject of most jokes. Many fans referred to his hairline as “the best defender in the NBA” or the “Elfrid Payton stopper.”

During his rookie season with the Magic, Payton was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In July 2017, he was traded to the Pelicans for guard Tim Frazier.

5. Markelle Fultz

Markelle Fultz, the number one overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, is one of the top young players in the league. The 20-year-old point guard has already shown glimpses of his immense talent and will get better with more experience. He serves as the team’s starting point guard.

While his hairstyle has changed over the years, the 6-foot-3-inch Orlando point guard maintains a head full of locs with a faded undercut for a look as sweet as his game.

Overall, the basketballer has yet to prove his point on the court, but he has certainly made a point in the discussion of the NBA’s best hair.

Fultz has great size for a point guard at 6′ 4″ and uses his length well on both ends of the court. He’s an excellent defender and has the potential to be a very good offensive player as well. His biggest strength right now is his ability to get to the basket and finish around the rim. He’s also a very good rebounder for his position.

If he can stay healthy and continue to improve, there’s no reason why Fultz can’t become one of the best players in the league.

6. Mike Conley Jr.

Mike Conley Jr. is one of the top NBA players with dreads. He is a point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies and has been in the league for 14 years. Conley is a 3-time All-Star. He is also a member of the USA Basketball team that won gold at the 2008 Olympics.

Mike Conley Jr. is one of those who have strong superstitions about his hair. He usually style his hair in dreadlocks.

Throughout various games, Conley frequently switches between braids and dreadlocks. This action sparked a debate on social media about whether he is better in any style.

When asked about his hairstyle change, he explained that he kept his dreadlocks closed when his team won and opened them when they lost.

However, he looked great in both hairstyles. He will thus always be a strong contender when discussing NBA players with the best hair.

Regardless of his hairstyle, the Jazz point guard brings style and grace to the game.

Conley averaged 9.4 points and 4.2 assists per game in his rookie season. He had a season-high 20 points and seven assists in a 134–124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

7. Kenneth Faried

Kenneth Faried is a 6’8″ power forward who plays for the Denver Nuggets. They drafted him in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft with the 22nd overall pick.

Faried has a truly remarkable set of dreads.

He quickly made an impact as a rookie with the Nuggets, averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game

Faried was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, and played his high school basketball at Newark Tech. He then went on to play his college ball at Morehead State University, where he was a two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and led the Eagles to a conference championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament during his senior season.

After going undrafted in 2010, Faried spent a year playing professional basketball in Turkey before entering the 2011 NBA draft. Since then, Faried has established himself as one of the best rebounders in the league while also becoming a reliable scoring option for Denver. He has averaged double-figures in points in each of his seven NBA seasons and has been named an NBA All-Star once (2013). Faried was also a USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team member at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he won a gold medal.

8. Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose is not only one of the league’s most popular players but also has one of the best dreadlocks in the league.

He has been in the league for 11 years and has been part of some great teams. Rose is a point guard who has averaged 19.7 points per game throughout his career. 

Throughout his career, Rose has had undeniable success. At the age of 22, he was the youngest player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.

Rose’s braided look has been popular among fans, particularly during his time with the Detroit Pistons. He had a long dreadlock that he tied with a rubber as a Pistons player.

Similarly, he has changed his hair frequently and has always looked great. Even with his medium-sized dreads, he looks fantastic.

His hair isn’t the only thing that draws attention to him. Rose, as a player, has a diverse and impressive physique too. He stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 86 kilograms.

9. Robert Covington

Robert Covington is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Tennessee State University.

Covington was born on December 14, 1990, in Bellwood, Illinois. He attended Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois, where he played basketball and ran track. In basketball, he was a three-time all-conference selection and helped his team win the 2009 Class 4A state championship. In track, he was a state qualifier in the long jump.

Covington accepted a scholarship to play college basketball at Tennessee State University, where he played from 2010 to 2013. As a junior in 2012–13, he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 2.3 blocks per game. He also led the conference in steals (2.6 per game) and finished second in rebounding (9.2 per game). 

In addition to being a fantastic basketball player, he also knows how to play his style. He frequently gets new hairstyles from season to season.

Convington has experimented with a variety of hairstyles, including a mohawk, braids, and fancy top-up dreadlocks. His looks are unique and very appealing from the front.

10. DeAndre Jordan

American basketball player Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. plays for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. He was born on July 21, 1988. Deandre is currently one of the most popular players in the NBA.

Jordan is a 6’11” center who has been in the league since 2008. He is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan is popular for his rim-protecting abilities and his rebounding. He is also one of the league’s most popular players, with a large social media following. Jordan has been rocking dreads for most of his career and has never been afraid to show them off.

There was an ecstatic uproar on social media when DeAndre started growing his hair out and eventually turning it into dreadlocks.

He is definitely in the style game with his current appearance. 

Check out: 21 Bald NBA Players

11. Chris Wilcox

Chris Wilcox is a 6’10”, 235-pound power forward. The Los Angeles Clippers drafted him in the first round of the 2002 NBA Draft.

He has also played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks. 

The athleticism and dunks of Wilcox are legendary. He has also been named to two All-Star teams.

12. Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Houston, Texas, Butler played college basketball for Tyler Junior College and Marquette University. The Chicago Bulls selected him with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Butler is a six-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA’s most improved player award in 2015. In 2015, his peers voted him as one of the NBA’s Top 100 players.

Jimmy Butler recently stormed NBA Twitter when he posted a photo of himself sporting full dreadlocks. Many people were surprised because he had a much shorter hairstyle just a few months before.

Though Butler has cut them shortly, he has stated that he may bring them back at some point in the future.

13. Jordan Hill

The New York Knicks selected Jordan Hill, an American professional basketball player, with the eighth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He has also played for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Indiana Pacers.

Hill is known for his high energy and rebounding ability. In 2013, he was selected to the All-NBA Third Team and is a two-time NBA All-Star.

Hill has been sporting dreads since he was in college.

Since entering the league, Hill has been one of the most consistent players in the league. He’s averaged double figures in points and rebounds per game in each of his eight seasons in the NBA.

Hill is currently a free agent but it’s safe to say that he will continue to be one of the top players in league with dreads.

14. JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee’s hairstyle has always been on point. He never failed to amaze his fans with his amazing yet bizarre hairstyles.

JaVale began his NBA career as a Washington Wizards player. Washington Wizards selected him as the 18th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, signing a two-year, $2.4 million contract with him.

JaVale McGee has worn a variety of hairstyles throughout his career, including braided rat tails and top-up dreadlocks.

Perhaps more than his superb playing style, JaVale is remembered for his unique braids that became popular in the NBA.

15. Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is one of the most iconic NBA players of all time. He was known for his style on and off the court, and his signature look was his dreadlocks.

Iverson was constantly pushing the boundaries with his fashion choices, and he inspired a generation of NBA players to express themselves through their style.

He was the 2000-01 NBA MVP, a four-time scoring champion, an 11-time all-star, a seven-time All-NBA player, and a four-time scoring champion.

He averaged 31.1 points the year he won MVP and a career-high 33.0 points in his final season with the Sixers.

16. Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton, better known as “Rip” Hamilton, is a former professional basketball player who played for the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and Washington Wizards. He was a three-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Pistons in 2004.

Hamilton had a signature corner jump shot that he frequently used while playing in the league. He was also known for his dreadlocks, which he wore throughout his career. Hamilton is one of several NBA players to have popularized the hairstyle.

While Hamilton’s on-court accomplishments are impressive, his style off the court has made him a lasting icon. His dreadlocks were always well-kept and styled, making him one of the most recognizable players in the league. He was also one of the first players to embrace fashion, often rocking trendy outfits during post-game interviews.

Hamilton’s impact on fashion and culture extends beyond just NBA players. He’s been credited with popularizing the use of headbands among athletes and setting trends in sneaker culture.

17. Amar’e Stoudemire

Amar’e Stoudemire is one of the top NBA players with dreads. He is a power forward and center who played for the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and Miami Heat. 

He was an All-Star six times and All-NBA First Team four times. Stoudemire was known for his athleticism and his high-flying dunks. He retired in 2016 after 15 seasons in the NBA.

18. Drew Gooden

Drew Gooden is a professional basketball player who has played for various teams in the NBA. His dreadlock is what makes him stand out from the crowd!

Gooden has received praise for his distinctive hairdo, which is regarded as a sign of power and individuality. Some fans have even said that they believe Gooden’s dreadlocks give him an advantage on the court. While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, it is undeniable that Gooden’s dreadlocks make him stand out as a player.

In recent years, Gooden has been outspoken about the importance of diversity in the NBA. He has encouraged other players to embrace their unique styles and urged the league to do more to promote racial equality. Many fans have praised Gooden’s remarks, which have sparked important conversations about race in the NBA.

19. Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony is one of the top NBA players with dreads. He is a 10-time NBA All-Star and has won an Olympic gold medal. His unique style has made him a fashion icon, and he is often seen sporting his dreads on and off the court.

Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York, and his family is from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. He grew up playing street basketball and later a coach from Syracuse University discovered him. After a successful college career, the Denver Nuggets drafted him in 2003.

Since entering the league, Anthony has been one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, and he continues to be one of the league’s top players. His distinctive dreadlocks make him easily recognizable, and he remains a popular player among fans.

20. Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh is a retired professional basketball player who played for the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. He was an NBA All-Star and won two NBA championships with the Miami Heat.

The Toronto Raptors selected Bosh fourth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. He quickly became one of the best players on the team, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. In 2006, he was named an NBA All-Star for the first time.

In 2010, Bosh joined forces with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to form the Miami Heat’s “Big Three.” The trio led the Heat to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

Chris Bosh’s distinctive hairdo in Toronto caught the eye of NBA fans. In Miami, however, he has a more reserved presence with his trademark locks cut off.

After diagnosing with blood clots, Bosh’s career abruptly ended in 2016. As a result, he missed the 2016-17 season and announced his retirement from basketball in 2017.

Despite his short career, Chris Bosh is one of the best power forwards of his generation. His contributions to the Miami Heat’s 2010s dynasty will live in memory.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our list of the top NBA players with dreads. From established veterans to up-and-coming stars, these athletes are sure to dazzle on the court while also keeping their hair game strong.

Check out: 25 Basketball Players With Long Hair


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