Jaxson Hayes of the New Orleans Pelicans is just one of many players at NBA Disney who is known for his hair, but is his mane the best?
When Jaxson Hayes of the New Orleans Pelicans walks into a room, he is noticed. Not only is he seven feet tall but rocks a Sideshow Bob haircut that makes him more like a nine footer.
The NBA has long been a leader in style among athletes, from the draft-day fits to the on-court apparel, to the hair or lack of.
Basketball and soccer are the only major sports that don’t involve players wearing some kind of headgear the covers their hair by rule, and with that freedom, players tend to experiment with more creative hairstyles.
People have long used hair to express themselves as individuals. In ancient times hair often had symbolic meaning, representing a person’s status or culture.
Today you’ll notice most players keep their hair shorter which makes sense. Long, sweaty hair in your face isn’t fun and is a pain to keep in place (I know this from experience). Even though most players tend to side for a shorter look, there’s plenty of variation in those looks to keep each new cut fresh.
Not to knock the different fades you see across the league, but I’m more partial to the players who let that cabbage grow. Of the current New Orleans Pelicans, only Jaxson Hayes and Jahlil Okafor have chosen to go with longer hair.
It’s not just me that feels this way, earlier in the season J.J. Redick was visibly awed by the sight of Hayes hair flying through the air.
Redick missed a three near the Pelicans’ bench and had the best view of that awesome mane soaring. As Jaxson Hayes is running back to the defensive end he runs past Redick and the sight of Hayes’ hair bouncing past him made him nearly freeze in place.
It’s not that the hair makes Hayes who he is, but it enhances the fun and excitement he brings. Imagine if LeBron James had the same hair as Hayes, each of his dunks would be at least 7% better just off of looks alone.
There’s just something about a player on his way to the rim with hair flowing behind him, trying to catch up.
New Orleans Pelicans’ Jaxson Hayes cracks the top-ten best haircuts.
The somewhat long hair that Hayes rocks is good, but isn’t the best hair in the NBA today, that honor goes to Jarrett Allen of the Brooklyn Nets.
His giant afro is a throwback to the days of Julius Erving and Moses Malone, when it seemed like every team had at least one player with one.
The afro has been kept alive since its heyday by the likes of Ben Wallace, Josh Childress, and Coby White. I’d love for Allen and White to start a resurgence across the league.
Then there are players like Gordon Hayward and J.J. Redick opting for a cut that’s more with the trends of today, buzzing the sides and keeping the top a little longer. They remind me very much of the haircuts that were popular after the first world war, re-popularized by the Netflix show Peaky Blinders.
While on-court apparel and kicks often get the most attention, It’s a player’s hair that really ties the whole look together.
Here’s a quick top ten ranking of hair going to Orlando. *Note: LeBron James and his patchy, suspicious monk look rank somewhere around 200, just shave it already Lebron!
- Honorable Mention – Lonnie Walker IV (before he cut it easily in the top ten)
- 10 – Gordon Hayward
- 9 – Joel Embiid
- 8 – Dennis Schroder
- 7 – Luka Doncic
- 6 – Kyle Korver
- 5 – Jimmy Butler
- 4 – Jaxson Hayes
- 3 – Kelly Oubre Jr
- 2 – Dwight Howard
- 1 – Jarrett Allen
Jaxson Hayes isn’t there yet, but after a few more seasons of growth with the New Orleans Pelicans, he could be atop this list.