Do NBA Players Wear Deodorant?
Hygiene is one of the most important aspects of being adult. Whether it’s taking a daily shower, keeping your beard trimmed and neatly edged, brushing your teeth, or simply applying deodorant to your armpits, doing each every day will keep you cleaner, more professional, and a more respectable adult.
But one question that we have been repeatedly asked is, do NBA players wear deodorant? Below, we are going to review whether or not NBA and basketball players war deodorant, what kind of deodorant do they wear, and why they apply deodorant both before and after a game.
Benefits of Deodorant
In general, both deodorants and antiperspirants are safe when used as directed. Although there have been recent concerns about the ingredients in both deodorants and antiperspirants, no studies have shown a link between either deodorants and antiperspirants and illness or disease.
However, both deodorants and antiperspirants have been shown to have a multitude of health benefits. The main benefit of either applying deodorant or an antiperspirant is the elimination of odor, sweat, and bacteria. This is especially true for both NBA and basketball players who may face increased sweating due to the rigors of the game.
Sweat is a natural cooling mechanism that your body utilizes to shed excess heat. However, your armpits have a higher density of sweat glands than other areas on your body. As sweat can cause both body odor and soaking through clothing, wearing deodorant is a great way to reduce the total moisture which may accumulate beneath your armpits.
In addition to reducing the accumulation of moisture beneath your armpits, sweating can cause bodily odor. However, it is important to understand that sweat itself does not have an odor. Rather, the bacteria on your skin breaking down sweat is what produces an odor. The damp warmth of your armpits is an ideal environment for bacteria and when mixed with sweat, produces foul bodily odors.
Difference Between Deodorant and Antiperspirant
While the term deodorant and antiperspirant are used interchangeably, they do different things. Deodorants are meant to reduce smell, while antiperspirants are meant to reduce sweat. Each one works differently:
- Deodorants – eliminate or reduce the bacteria beneath your armpits by utilizing alcohol or other chemicals which kill bacteria. In addition, many deodorants contain fragrances or other compounds to mask odors.
- Antiperspirants – use specific compounds, such-as aluminum, to block sweat. The aluminum reacts with the sweat to form a plug inside the sweat duct, essentially keeping the sweat from coming out. In addition, antiperspirants have been used to treat excessive sweating and are available both over the counter and in prescription strengths.
Do Players in the NBA Wear Deodorant or Antiperspirant?
Yes, NBA players wear both deodorant and antiperspirant. Within the NBA locker rooms, there exists a number of unofficial rules and procedures. One such rule is that each player should wear deodorant. However, as this is an unofficial rule, there have been many instances of newer or rookie players not applying deodorant.
In fact, the Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris once remembered a story with a rookie player while playing for the Phoenix Suns. Stating, “not wanting to shower, that sh** happens a lot….I had an incident when I was in Phoenix with a rookie who said ‘I don’t use deodorant.’ I was like ‘whoa, whoa, whoa; what the f*** do you mean you don’t use deodorant?’
‘You’ve gotta respect other players. Hygiene is one of the most important things in our profession. It’s uncomfortable guarding somebody that stinks. That’s why I had to explain him ‘like, bro, you smell it’s uncomfortable for us to be around you smelling like that.”
Another NBA player, a veteran on the team, also remembered when his teammates would take bird baths. A bird bath is where you go into the shower and just sprinkle a little water on your head and then dry yourself off.
The veteran player recalled how he took a trip to CVS and bought packs of deodorant to pass out and discussed with his teammates the necessity in showering daily and particularly after games.
Why do NBA Players Wear Deodorant?
For NBA players, there are really two main reasons as to why deodorant and antiperspirant are so important. The first is that NBA players, playing in a tough, rigorous, exhausting sport are more likely to face issues with sweat than average people.
With an NBA game lasting nearly 48-minutes, and with the back-and-forth nature of the game, excess sweat is to be expected. One way to alleviate that excess sweat is to apply deodorant both before, during, and after a game. Many players will apply deodorant multiple times a day to help relieve their excess sweat.
And secondly, as basketball is a high-touch, oftentimes man-on-man sport, many players will look to act with a certain level of professionalism and decorum. One such way to show professionalism in the sport is to be hygienic and to take daily showers and apply deodorant.
In addition to taking showers and applying deodorant, many NBA players are expected to also keep their nails neatly trimmed, keep up with the current dress code, and respect one-another’s space in the locker room, where space is oftentimes limited and cramped.
What Kind of Deodorant do NBA Players Use?
While it’s difficult to know what kind and brand of deodorant each NBA player uses, there have been many rumors in recent years. And while surprising to many, it has come out that many NBA players have begun to use women’s deodorant as their go-to deodorant.
In fact, the Denver Nuggets player, Nikola Jokic even admitted to using women’s deodorant after claiming his men’s deodorant was “bug spray”. Per a Tweet from T.J. McBride of Mile High Sports, “Jokic complimented the women’s deodorant and alluded to the fact that he is going to continue using it. #Nuggets’ equipment manager, Sparky Gonzalez, gave Nikola Jokic women’s Dove deodorant after he complained about his other deodorant that he called, “bug spray”.