In his 15 NBA seasons we have seen various JaVale McGee Hair moments, some being classic whilst some being unconventional.
His list of hairstyles so far have ranged from the,
- Buzz Cut with Braids
- Buzz Cut
- Twisted Afro
- Cornrows
- Box Braids
- Braided Man Bun
Our editorial includes a gallery of the athletes current and previous hairstyles.
All JaVale McGee Hair Moments to Date
Buzz Cut with Braids
In a 2017 social media post we saw JaVale share a picture of his new hairstyle in what can only be described as bizarre.

To be honest with you we didn’t even know how to word this style, buzz cut with braids? Braided mullet? Braided Drop Shag
As expected social media wasn’t far behind to start the jokes parade, but we got to give it to him, he rocked the style off the court for a long time and to pull that off takes total confidence, we could never do this, so props to him
Buzz Cut/Crew Cut
The year is 2008, baby face rookie JaVale is drafted in round 1 and all press conferences, interviews and promotional images feature the athlete in his buzz cut.

A common theme amongst athletes is coming into the league with short hair only to start their hair growth journey as they become more comfortable.
Whilst he no longer has short hair the images mark time and remind us of his earlier years in the sport.
Twisted Afro
His twisted afro would become the foundation for all his protective styles as we were able to see in real time just how thick and dense it got before he began to style his hair.

For those with type 4 afro textured hair wanting a more twisted afro such as JaVale McGee Hair follow these steps.
1. Slightly dampen hair with water based spritz
2. You may also apply some of your styling product to the sponge.
3.Use sponge and go in a circular motion across your head and style to your liking. You have the option to style hair lightly or heavily, depending on your preference.
Twists
Allen Iverson walked so the league could run, what do we mean by that?

Iverson being the 1st player ever to wear braids on the court in 2001 would create a culture around protective hairstyles becoming the norm.
The effects can be seen decades later, for instance the imagery above of Dwight Howard Hair in dreads or JaVale McGee Hair in twists is a testament to Iversons influence decades later.
Box Braids
The beauty of afro hair is the ability to rotate between different hairstyles in which we see JaVale do. If its not the cornrows it’s the box braids

Aside from being a protective style great for hair growth it also looks great and can be styled in multiple ways which we see him do in a pony tail or man bun.
Braided Man Bun
Another variation of his braids can be seen when he has them tied up in a bun and as you can see was done for practical reasons whilst playing on the court.

Outside of its practical benefits it can also be worn for style and trend, I mean asap rocky braids were styled this way for years don’t forget, and I think we can all agree rocky knows his fashion!
Key Take Away: Maintenance
All protective hairstyles whether it be braids or twists all require a certain level of routine to ensure long term health. We advise you too,
- Oil your scalp
- Keep braids in for a maximum of 6 – 8 weeks.
- Protect hair at night or doing any physical activity.
- Moisturise your Hair.
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