10 Bald Basketball Players Who Played On NBA

Known as "The Glove," Gary Payton has been bald since the early days of his NBA career. 

Moreover, the first-round pick in 1990 spent 13 seasons with the SuperSonics and is considered arguably the franchise's most outstanding player. Known for his extraordinary defensive skills, the point guard was described as "probably as complete a guard as there ever was" by legendary Gail Goodrich. 

The six-foot-four, 190 pounds guard won the Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. A nine-time NBA All-star, Payton was also selected to NBA All-Defensive First Team a record nine times. 

A player with both defensive and offensive qualities, the SuperSonics legend finished his career with 16.3 points per game.  He also led the league in most steals per game (2.9) in the 1995/96 season. 

Playing simultaneously with Michael Jordan in NBA, Payton shared a high-octane rivalry with the Bulls star. He was Jordan's fiercest opponent and the two brought out the best in each other. 

With 16 years of stellar NBA career, he didn't win the championships until later in his career with the Miami Heat. A life-long supporter of Seattle, "the Glove" retired in 2007 after two seasons with Miami. 

Post-retirement, Payton appears in charitable events in Seattle. He was indicated to the Hall of Fame in 2013. 

The greatest dunker of all time, Vince Carter is another bald basketball superstar on our list. He played record 22 seasons in the NBA. 

Selected as the fifth overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1999, he was traded to the Raptors. The shooting guard is probably the best acquisition in the history of the Raptors basketball. 

Founded in 1995, the Raptors were struggling to garner attention. But with Vince, they went to playoffs on two consecutive seasons in 2000 and 2001. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1999. 

Moreover, the North Carolina alum is an eight-time NBA All-star and was selected to NBA All-team twice. Besides, the dunker is the only basketball player to play in four decades in the NBA. 

Courtesy of his exceptional dunking abilities, he acquired the nickname "Air Canada" during his Toronto days. His other prominent nicknames are "Vinsanity" and "Half man, Half amazing."

The six-foot-six power forward played for eight franchises, scoring 25,728 points throughout his career, averaging 16.7 points per game. He is the sixth-best NBA player in terms of three-point field goals. Apart from dunking, Carter was also a brilliant three-point shooter. 

Furthermore, Carter made headlines when he jumped over a seven-footer in an Olympics game. He won a gold medal for the United States in the 2000 Summer Olympics. 

The Vinsanity retired in 2020 at the age of 43. Post-retirement, he works as an ESPN analyst. He is the founder of the Embassy of Hope Foundation, a foundation helping children in Florida, New Jersey, and Ontario. 

The greatest Timberwolves player, Kevin Garnett came to NBA straight out of high school. 

With null minutes of collegiate career, the six-foot-eleven was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995 and the rest is history. He led the franchise to its first-ever playoff win in 1997. He then led TImberwolves to eight consecutive playoff appearances. 

Unlike other star players, Garnett didn't take NBA by storm. He was a decent rookie but the power forward improved over time. He led the league in most rebounds for four consecutive seasons from 2003/04 to 2006/07. 

Known as "The Big Ticket," Kevin is the only NBA player to score at least 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5000 assists, 1500 steals, and 1500 blocks. His all-around ability is often so underrated. He averaged 17.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. 

Likewise, "the 240 pounds beast" is the only NBA player to average 20 points, ten rebounds, and five assists for six consecutive seasons in the NBA. He was also the first NBA player to win player of the month four times in a single season. Only Lebron James has achieved this feat. 

Before winning the NBA championship in 2008 with the Celtics, he won the NBA MVP for the 2004 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He led the franchise to the Western Conference finals that year. 

The 15 times NBA All-Star is known for his diligence, hard work, and persistence more than anything. The power forward spent 21 seasons in the league and his ability to change the game both offensively and defensively keeps him right in the bracket of NBA All-time greats. 

Retired in 2016, Garnett now works as an NBA consultant and actor. He played in the 2019 crime thriller movie, Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler and LaKeith Stanfield. 

Short yet explosive, Charles Barkley is a legendary NBA figure who played 16 seasons in the league. 

Drafted fifth overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, the power forward was relatively short ( six-feet-six) for his position. But he didn't lack the skills to make a good power forward and the rookie season was a testament to it as he was named in the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

In his third season, Barkley led the league with the highest rebounding average. He averaged his career-high 14.6 rebounds in the 1986/87 season, taking the 76ers into the playoffs. 

Among his 16 NBA seasons, he led his team to playoffs on 13 occasions. He did it six times with the 76ers, four times with the Phoenix Suns, and thrice with the Houston Rockets. 

Best known as the "Chuck" and "the Round Mound of Rebound," Charles won the NBA MVP award in his first season with the Suns in 1993. He had won NBA All-Star MVP twice as a 76er. 

Moreover, the 11-time NBA All-Star has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice, similar to his Olympic success with the US National Team in 1992 and 1996. 

Furthermore, the Alabama native is among seven NBA players in the 20K/10K/4K club. He finished his career with 23,757 points, 12,546 rebounds, and 4215 assists, averaging 22.1, 11.7, and 3.9 points, rebounds, and assists per game. 

The NBA legend retired in 2000 and has since worked as an NBA analyst for TNT. 

Currently, the head coach for the Mavericks, Jason Kidd has won it all for Dallas as a player. 

The second overall pick in 1994, the Dallas Mavericks were on the course of changing their history by singing Kidd. Showing early signs of impact, he won the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1994/95 season. 

The six-foot-four point guard wasn't the tallest of the players, nor his 210 lbs weight made him the strongest. But he was a prolific passer, so Jason is considered one of the greatest passers and point guards of all time. 

The 10-time NBA All-Star led the Mavericks to their first-ever NBA championship glory in 2011 during his second stint with the franchise. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Team nine times. 

An excellent triple-double player, Kidd finished his playing career as the third-best triple-double in the league. Moreover, he also ranks second in NBA history on steals and assists. He led the league in assists for five seasons. 

The Mavericks legend averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game throughout his NBA career. He played for the Suns, Nets, and Knicks before retiring in 2013. The point guard retired with 17,529 points, 8,725 rebounds, and 12,091 assists.  

Post-retirement, Jason joined the coaching unit of the Brooklyn Nets. As an assistant coach, he won the 2020 NBA championship with the Lakers. Kidd was then nominated as the head coach of the Mavericks in 2021. 

One of the most incredible power forwards in NBA history, Karl Malone played playoff games every season.

A franchise player for the Utah Jazz, Malone holds the record for the most starts in the NBA. After his rookie season, the power forward never came off the bench, meaning he started every game he played for 18 years. 

The Jazz drafted the six-foot-nine forward as the 13th overall pick in 1985. He made it into the NBA All-Rookie First Team, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year award. 

Moreover, Malone has won NBA Most Valuable Player twice in his career, in 1997 and 1999. He led the Jazz to the championship finals twice but unfortunately lost on both occasions. 

The 14-time NBA All-Star shares the record for the second most NBA All-First team selections with Kobe Bryant behind LeBron James. The 260 pounds power forward is famous as "the mailman" because he delivered on every game he played. 

Furthermore, the Louisiana-born NBA star holds the record for most free throws taken and made. He took 13,188 free throws, scoring 9,787 with 74.2% accuracy. 

A prolific defender and rebounder, Karl concluded his career in 2004, spending 18 seasons with the Jazz and the last one with the Lakers. He scored 36,928 points (third-best in NBA), 14,968 rebounds, and 5,238 assists. Utah Jazz retired his jersey number 32 after his retirement. 

Post-retirement, Karl is more attracted to philanthropy charity works, and politics. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame twice in 2010.  

Shaquille O'Neal is surely one of the most awaited names on the list. Known for basketball and many more, "Shaq" dominated the NBA with his exceptional physique. 

A seven-foot-one 325 pounds beast changed the course of the game with his physical stature. Sometimes the opponent didn't bother to go up against him and let him score points because of possible injury. 

Also, he broke the steel backboard supports twice during his first year in NBA. Following such incidents, the league increased the durability and stability of the backboards. Shaq was drafted as the first overall in the 1993 draft. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1993. 

One of the greatest of all time, Shaq is a four-time NBA Champion, thrice with the Los Angeles Lakers and once with the Miami Heat. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player of The Year in 2000 when he powered the Lakers to NBA glory. 

Known for his offensive "drop step," Shaquille quickly scored slam dunks using his Black Tornado technique. However, his free throws were surprisingly poor. To stop him, opponents often fouled the center, leading to a free throw. 

The Center played for six teams throughout his career which spanned 19 years. He scored 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, and 2,732 blocks before retiring from NBA in 2011. He won three NBA Finals MVPs as well. 

The 15-time NBA All-Star has been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. 

 After retirement, Shaq works as an analyst for TNT. He is a sports analyst for the program, Inside the NBA. Besides, the NBA legend has also appeared in several TV shows and movies. He also has four rap albums. 

Before we move on to the top 3 in the list, we would like to mention some great basketball players who didn't make the list. 

NBA legend Magic Johnson is one of the most significant point guards to play in the NBA. As he wasn't necessarily bald during the early stages of his career, he, unfortunately, missed out on the list. Nonetheless, the basketballing prowess he possessed was out of the world. 

Johnson, a five-time NBA champion, won the NBA Most Valuable Player thrice in his career. He retired and came back a few times and struggled with illness. However, he is one of the greatest ever to play in the league. 

Reggie Miller is another one who amazed everyone with his three-point shooting skills. The Indiana Pacers legend retired as the most three-point scorer and currently sits fourth on that list. 

A one-team player, he spent all eighteen NBA seasons with the Pacers, winning a place in the NBA All-Star team five times throughout his career. 

Another three-point specialist who doesn't feature on the list is Ray Allen. The Naismith Hall of Famer held a record for the most three-pointers scored until Curry broke it in 2021. 

Hands down, the two-time NBA champion with the Celtics, is one of the greatest shooters of all time. 

One of the all-time NBA greats, Kobe Bryant was also known for his loyalty to the Los Angeles Lakers and vice-versa. Many exceptional players came and went out of the Lakers while Kobe continued embracing their jersey. 

The "Black Mamba" wasn't the tallest (six-foot-six) or the strongest (212 lbs) in the league. But he was ridiculously skillful as a shooter and dribbler. He ranks fourth among the league's all-time scorers with 33,643 points. 

Moreover, the shooting guard has won NBA championships five times with the Lakers. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2008 and is a record-holder for the NBA Finals MVP with four awards. 

The record scorer for the Lakers, Kobe was named to the NBA All-First Defensive Team nine times. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. 

Furthermore, the shooting guard was known for his feud with other NBA players. The tension between him and Shaq was the Lakers' point of attention when they played together. Nonetheless, they led the franchise to three consecutive NBA glories. 

Bryant and his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California in 2020. However, his basketball legacy continues as youngsters in the NBA look up to Kobe. 

Considered the greatest of all time by many, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sits second on our list. 

The greatest NBA scorer of all time, he was known for his tall and muscular physique. The seven-foot-two Center was the first overall pick in 1969. The Bucks were just a year old at the time. 

Moreover, he played in the NBA for 20 seasons, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to their first-ever NBA championship in 1971. After six seasons, he joined the Lakers and played for the franchise until retirement. 

Kareem and Magic Johnson were instrumental in the Lakers' showtime era as the former's scoring skill matched the latter's passing skills. . The franchise produced fast, high-skill attacking basketball plays and was unstoppable at the time. 

The NBA Center won the NBA championships six times. He is also a record holder of NBA Most Valuable Player, winning the recognition six times in his career. He was often called "The Tower from Power" for his scoring prowess. 

Furthermore, the UCLA alum revolutionized his trademark skyhook shot, allowing him to score quickly. He is still the top scorer in the league, 89 points ahead of LeBron James who is still scoring for fun. 

Apart from being one of the NBA greats, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is also an actor, coach, martial artist, and author. 

And who else? Michael Jordan is the best bald basketball player of all time. He is arguably the best player of all time. 

The six-foot-six shooting guard Jordan is known for popularizing the game worldwide. His fanbase spread all across the world as people couldn't take their eyes off his attacking plays. 

This bald NBA legend has won it all and he did so in less time, comparatively. He has won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, winning MVP at the finals on each occasion. The Bulls have a total of six NBA championships and all of them came in the Jordan era. 

Also, the 14-time NBA All-Star averaged 33.4 points per game which is miles ahead of anyone in the league. The "Air Jordan" is known for his leaping ability that enabled him to score ridiculous slam dunks. 

Jordan is referred to as "bigger than basketball." Signing with Nike, he revolutionized the company with Air Jordan shoes. They became famous worldwide and are still one of the most popular shoes. 

The former Bulls star is the only NBA player who is a billionaire. His net worth is over $1.7 billion, according to the player's Wikipedia bio. 

Because of his efforts in the league, the NBA MVP trophy is renamed "Michael Jordan trophy." The name will be effective starting from the 2022/23 season. 

For many, Michael Jordan is not only the greatest NBA player but also one of the greatest sportspersons of all time.