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Fade-Away: The Hairstyle That Could Change Basketball

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Nerlens Noel should grow out his fade more. Find out why.

There have been few moments in basketball history when aesthetics truly impacted the game. Most notably, the fusion of basketball with hip-hop in the late 80’s and early 90’s marked the biggest cosmetic change when the Fab Five, and then later Michael Jordan, started wearing baggy shorts. Later, with Allen Iverson, the hip-hop vibe found its quintessential basketball partner in a little dude with a loud attitude—the cornrows and elbow sleeve becoming parts of the culture of basketball (the elbow sleeve being the one that survived).