Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a foul in game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder
LeBron James is one of the many men who’ve had to grapple with balding at a relatively young age. His hairline has been a hot topic of conversation among NBA fans over the years, and he has entered a new era after deciding to shave his head.
Many professional athletes are blessed by the genetics that play a role in their ability to play a sport for a living, and that’s certainly the case with LeBron James. He was more than able to hold his own with grown men when he was a teenager, and the 41-year-old is currently gearing up for his 24th season in the NBA as he continues to defy time.
He may be one of the best basketball players of all time, but he did get the short straw when it comes to his hair. LeBron started showing clear signs of male pattern baldness in his early 20s (many fans speculated he wore his once-signature headband to hide his receding hairline), and there is plenty of evidence that suggests he’s undergone transplant procedures over the years in an attempt to battle back.
However, it looks like he may have finally decided to wave the white flag.
LeBron James has embraced the bald look by shaving his head
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
LeBron is far from the only guy who’s found themselves dealing with hair loss; around 25% of men will see signs of thinning before they’re 21, and that number rises to 50% by the time 50 rolls around.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with going bald, but it can be a rough development for people who consider their hair a core part of their identity and have to grapple with the societal standards surrounding it.
Over the years, James has harnessed a number of tried-and-true strategies men in his position commonly turn to, including becoming a Hat Guy and seemingly undergoing transplants of the Follicular Unit Extraction variety to fill in bald spots and attempt to increase the volume.
He’d previously declined to take the plunge many people do by picking up a razor and shaving to unveil a shiny dome, but that was the route he decided to take before the Time100 Sports Gala on Thursday, where he was sporting a new look on the red carpet.
The King is here 😎@KingJames and his wife Savannah arrive at the inaugural @TIME 100 Sports Gala in NYC pic.twitter.com/7dgEGktsku
— Sports (@Sports) July 17, 2026
I’m surprised it took him as long as it did, as he is more than able to pull it off. He’ll also be getting a new look when he joins a new team for the upcoming season, and it’ll be interesting to see if he keeps that one.