Michael Jordan opens up about embracing hair loss and turning it into an iconic trademark: “I can’t imagine myself with a head full of hair” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
When someone mentions Michael Jordan, a few things immediately come to mind. For one, his perfect run in the NBA Finals is undoubtedly one of them. His Airness, often considered the greatest basketball player of all time, went undefeated on the NBA’s biggest stage, capturing six titles in the 1990s.
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While others may cite his iconic sneaker line, his extreme competitiveness, or even his infamous “flu game,” there’s one aspect of Jordan’s appearance that is unmistakably immediately recognizable: his bald head.
The NBA has had its share of bald players, but none embraced the look quite like Jordan. He even turned his iconic image into a trademark, using it as the centerpiece of his short-lived perfume line. In an interview with broadcasting legend Larry King, MJ explained his reasons for adopting the bald look early in his career, sharing that it wasn’t due to his sense of style.
A style icon
Long before NBA players of today used the walkway to the locker room as their runway to flaunt their garish outfits, Jordan was already setting the standard for style in the league. From his sleek suits and classy berets, MJ’s sense of style became synonymous with success and excellence. And his bald head only added to that image, giving him a clean and polished look.
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However, he candidly opened up about his reason for going with this look, saying it was a preference due to male pattern baldness.
“Why’d I choose to be bald?” Mike said.
“Well, because you said a whole concept — you made the world bald,” Larry responded.
“Well, I didn’t say that. I mean, you can look at Lou Gossett. He was bald way before me,” Mike stated. “But I chose to do that mainly by preference. But then later on, it was not quite a preference. It was truly because of hair loss. I was losing hair, yes, but you would have never known that unless I’d grown an afro, and that was not going to happen. So I chose to stay bald. And it certainly is easy maintenance.”
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Mike won’t take credit for the look
Jordan was always a trendsetter. When he began playing with baggy shorts, other players followed suit. Similarly, when he started shaving his head in the late 80s, many others soon followed. However, Mike would never take credit for starting the bald trend.
“Now, I will not attribute that style to myself. I think other people were bald way before me. But a lot of people have attributed that to my style. But I wouldn’t correctly say that that’s accurate,” he shared.
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Air Jordan embraces his signature look with pride, confidently stating that he can no longer imagine himself with hair — it simply wouldn’t feel like him.
“It is very easy, and plus, it’s my trademark. I can’t — I can’t imagine myself with a head full of hair,” His Airness emphasized. “And so now it’s more for comfort, and it’s more just a routine. And I like it. I prefer it.”
While Michael has indeed found both comfort and style with the bald look, other NBA players have struggled to deal with hair loss. One such player who had a hair faux pas was former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, who dared to try a new hair dye product to hide his receding hairline. It’s safe to say the results were disastrous.
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With cameras tracking players’ every move both on and off the court, appearance undeniably plays a significant role. And while MJ always made do with a smooth bald head, Boozer’s hair mishap became a legendary meme that lives on to this day.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.