Best NBA Players With Afros of All-Time!
Since the inception of the NBA, and of basketball in general, players across the league have taken unique and distinctive means to express themselves on the court. From Dennis Rodman’s flashy hairstyles and tattoos to Russell Westbrook’s slightly questionable pre-game outfits.
However, there may be no single hairstyle or fashion more expressive than the afro. A distinctly African American style, the afro has gained popularity in recent years and has seen a resurgence in acceptance and adoption.
That is why, below, we are going to review the best NBA players with afros of all-time. These NBA players not only donned the afro but did so elegantly and with class.
And in a similar vein to dreads, these NBA players stood out and adopted a hairstyle historically stigmatized and marginalized but one that was true and authentic to their heritage and roots.
Or, if you’re looking for the inverse of the afro, be sure to check out our review of the best NBA players who are bald!
What is an Afro?
Before jumping into the list of the best NBA players with afros, it’s important to step back and fully understand just what an afro is. An afro is a hairstyle that is generally produced as a result of the natural growth of kinky hair.
However, it can also be produced or specifically styled with chemical curling products, specifically by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair.
The afro hairstyle can be created by combing the kinky hair away from the scalp, thus creating a distinctive curl pattern and forming the hair into a rounded shape.
And while the afro saw much of its popularity in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, its resurgence has come at a polarizing time in the country, with the Black Lives Matter movement and other similar civil rights organizations coming to national attention.
Kobe Bryant
Many younger readers may not recall the late, great Kobe Bryant sporting the afro. But he did so for a number of years during his time in the NBA and while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The so called ‘Black Mamba‘, Kobe Bryant defined what it meant to be an NBA All-Star. Having spent his entire 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant is widely regarded as one of the best and greatest basketball players of all time.
Winning five NBA championships, Kobe Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player, and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
In addition, Kobe Bryant led the NBA in scoring twice in his career and ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring.
Posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020, Kobe Bryant was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Much has been written on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. A fellow Los Angeles Laker, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a devout Muslim, he was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. and converted to Islam in 1971 at the age of 24. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is most famous for his skyhook, which he utilized to establish himself as one of the league’s top scorers.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in the NBA for 20 seasons, playing for both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his time, he was named a six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member.
Kyrie Irving
A player who often faces much criticism, Irving is one of the most prolific and adept basketball players in the league. Currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Irving would be named Rookie of the Year after being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Kyrie Irving played college basketball for famed program Duke and would win the Most Valuable Player Award in the NBA in the 2014 All-Star Game. In the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving would make the championship-winning three-point field goal to complete the Cavaliers’ comeback against the Golden State Warriors.
He is also a devout Muslim and has recently been seen breaking his fast in Ramadan during a Brooklyn Nets game.
Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace played for the University of North Carolina before declaring for the NBA draft in 1995, where he played 16 seasons. Wallace was originally selected by the Washington Bullets, now the Washington Wizards, with the fourth pick in the draft.
Although Wallace would be traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and then the Atlanta Hawks, he made his biggest impact with the Detroit Pistons. With the Pistons, Wallace would win the NBA championship in the 2004 season and reach the NBA Finals again the following season.
Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace was a former NBA player and is a current basketball executive. He is regarded as one of the best undrafted NBA players in the history of the league. Wallace attended both Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and played for the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wallace won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times. And in his nine seasons with the Detroit Pistons, he would make two NBA Finals appearances and win a championship with the team in 2004. The Pistons retired his jersey number in 2016 and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Nick Young
Nick Young, nicknamed “Swaggy P”, played college basketball for the USC Trojans and was a two-time first-team all-conference selection in the Pac-10. He was selected by the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft with the 16th overall pick. In 2018, Young won an NBA championship while playing for the Golden State Warriors.
Josh Childress
Joshua “Josh” Childress is a former NBA player who played for the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, and New Orleans Pelicans. In addition to playing in the NBA, Childress played for the Olympiacos Piraeus of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague.
Having grown up in Compton, California, Childress would play three seasons of college basketball with Stanford, where he would be named AP first team All-American.
He declared himself eligible for the 2004 NBA draft and would be selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the sixth overall pick, becoming the highest Stanford player to be drafted in the NBA.
Artis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore is a former basketball player who played for both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Gilmore was a star center and played two years at Jacksonville University, during which he led the team to the NCAA Division I championship game in 1970. He remains the top player in rebounds per game in the history of the NCAA Division I basketball.
Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson, nicknamed AI and The Answer, played 14 seasons in the NBA. A prolific scorer, Iverson played both the shooting and point guard positions.
He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1997 and was an 11-time NBA All-Star, won the All-Star Game MVP award in both 2001 and 2005, and was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2001. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.