DWyane Wade fooling around at team USA practice.Dwyane Wade (Photo credit WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
NBA players often impress fans with their basketball skills and stylish looks. However, former NBA star Dwyane Wade wasn’t the player who was concerned with his appearance. The popular series “The Redeem Team” on Netflix showed a bald Wade alongside Carmelo Anthony, sporting a shaved head and the No. 9 jersey during the 2008 Summer Olympics.

On his podcast, “The Why with Dwyane Wade,” Wade, who made a strange comment on LeBron James’ pronoun, explained the reasons behind his bald look for the Olympics.

“This is why I shaved my head bald. One, there was no barbershop traveling with us, and you don’t want anyone messing with your head,” Wade said.


The former Miami Heat star later shared a more personal reason for his decision. He also referenced Michael Jordan as his inspiration, who famously sported a bald head during his illustrious career.

“But two, when I was in high school, I had a couple of moments where I went bald head and it was somebody either messing my hair up, or I was trying to channel something like MJ or something, right? And every time I did it, I balled out,” he added.

Dwyane Wade Explains Bald Look as Focus on Basketball

Dwyane Wade has always prioritized his game development over his appearance. In 2008, he revealed that he went bald to focus more on improving his basketball skills.

“I’ve gone bald for the simple fact that I’m focused solely on basketball,” he said.

The former NBA star elaborated on his decision while mentioning the logistical challenges he faced during international competitions.

“I’m not concerned myself with waking up in the morning, brushing my hair, trying to look pretty. I’m really focused on playing and bringing home the gold. Also, in China, I’m not letting anybody cut my hair. If you’re not my barber, it’s not happening,” Wade added.

The 2008 season was particularly challenging for Wade, as he missed 31 games due to injury. This period made him prioritize his recovery over his appearance. Wade chose to focus on returning to peak performance rather than spending time on his hairstyle.