Sports aren’t only about performance, but also personality. In a game filled with raw emotion, a player’s mannerisms and appearance are more prominent than ever and add to the entertainment of loyal followers. With constant coverage from media outlets and the gradual crossover between fashion and athletics/entertainment, it is no surprise to see consumer opinion impacted by the the way players carry themselves on and off the playing field. Swagger isn’t required to score points or win game, but it provides an additional component to scores and games, extracting love and hate from the crowd. Below I’ve assembled a team of the swaggiest dogs running the floor in the league.
D’Angelo Russell
The man has always had it, but the way he’s developed and continually crafted it is bonkers. Short hair with the detailed eyebrow into various dreaded hairstyles with some of the best tats in the NBA? SHEESH! This man went from high school flexin’ to grown man drippin’! His D-Lo nickname and patented “Ice in my Veins” celly have become recognizable to even the most peripheral of basketball fans. Just signed a deal this year with chinese outfitter Li Ning’s Way of Wade brand? What else could this king be loading up for us?
Lou Williams
Boomin’ out in South Gwinnett like Lou Will, Six Man like I’m Lou Will, Two Girls and they get along like I’m Lou Will. Need I say more? The curly-haired, mustachioed man known otherwise as the Underground GOAT has the utmost casual swagger. Like “ight sheeit I’ll get up off the bench when you need a quick 30 piece” type shit. Like D-Lo, he rides for a Chinese brand (he currently has a signature sneaker with PEAK) and is a constant threat for 6th man of the year–the award reserved for certified non-hardos.
John Wall
Yes, I know he’s been sidelined for quite some time and also took this grimy headshot for USA Basketball last year, but don’t forget who this mans is. This man blew up on the scene fast, as the most prominent star on John Calipari’s first Kentucky squad back in ’09. He created an eponymous viral dance, seen here, and mastered the art of the Dougie, propelling himself to the top of the college basketball world and the pyramid of swaggerdashery as well. If you still aren’t convinced, this guy managed to make Reebok ZigTech look remotely cool. Even if he comes back and spends the rest of his career being held down by the mediocre Wizards organization, he will continue to showcase his style along the way.
Kelly Oubre, Jr.
Tsunami Papi. That’s correct, the waviest man on the floor. Tatted up, hair styled, neck like a faucet, the ValleyBoyz icon combines that casual West Coast vibe with ferocious intensity when he suits up on the hardwood. This past year, he signed on as the first basketball endorsement for the Converse rebrand under Nike, and has let his creativity run wild on any silhouette he wears.
James Harden
The MF Beard. For starters, if I had nappy hair, I’d go to a barber and get his signature burst fade mohawk in a heartbeat. That hair combined with the flawless overgrown beard just screams entertainer- old school player, jazz musician, pro wrestler, Rick Ross, shit anyone who can flex. The man has mastered two moves- the eurostep and stepback- that require the utmost finesse, and people both hate and love him for it. Few moves are more exciting than when this man drops a defender on a stepback, pauses, drains a deep three, then lets out a ferocious yell. In addition, his celebrations are just as saucy- pun intended. His “cooking” celebration drew the disdain of Lil B but electrifies his fanbase, and his “nosebleed” dunk reaction requires a quick mind to catch. He doesn’t care if you don’t like his game, he’s going to keep winning anyway, and blowing fat racks at strip clubs across the country in the process.
Brandon Ingram
I feel like people forget B.I. and Ben Simmons were neck in neck for the #1 overall pick back in 2016. Ingram has solidified himself as one of the league’s rising stars, earning his first All-Star nod last month in the stacked Western Conference. In my mind, there’s something special about skinny players, especially in the modern day league where most players are truly large athletic specimens, aided by modern nutrition, fitness, and strategy. KD and Ingram just do not care about putting on muscle because well, they can ball and that’s all that matters, muscle isn’t part of their game. Ingram has the braids, the sleeves, and generally looks calm and collected on and off the court. His role in the Lakers-Rockets scuffle last season and his savage shoving of James Harden are more than enough to let both opposing players and fans know that, simply put: B.I. is not to be fucked with.
Yes, I realize there are six players on here, but the sixth man is, as I mentioned, a crucial role for a team. I also forgot to keep count because the NBA as a whole is a pretty fuckin swaggy (read: “urban”) league. With the NBA season now under suspension and facing likely cancelation, it’s sad to say we won’t be seeing any of these dogs on the court relatively soon, but their bold and unique images remain for now. God Bless and Swag Up.
Tip of the Iceberg 