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    What 10 bearded NBA players looked like without facial hair

    Facial hair has nothing to do with basketball skills. However, they do improve looks and maybe even add an intimidation factor to a player's opponents.

    Throughout history, we've seen some of the most iconic NBA players sport some of the best beards we've ever seen. However, it's worth looking at how these players looked before they grew their beards or what they looked like without them. Let's take a look at what 10 bearded NBA players looked like without facial hair.

    LeBron James

    Back in high school, a young LeBron James barely had any facial hair. At this time, he was already crowned as The Chosen One. But despite all the hype surrounding him when he was just a teen, James didn't disappoint.

    While he was the best prospect at that time, James easily translated that into the NBA by winning four NBA championships and Finals MVPs. Furthermore, James also became the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

    Anthony Davis

    These days, Anthony Davis sports a thick beard. He is one of the league's elite centers that helped James and the Lakers secure an NBA championship.

    But during his days with Perspectives Charter School, AD sported little to no facial hair. But thanks to puberty that saw him grow facial hair and enjoy a rapid growth spurt, Davis would emerge as a blue-chip prospect out of high school before dominating in the NCAA ranks with the University of Kentucky.

    Fred VanVleet

    During his days with Auburn High School, Fred VanVleet was already a star in the making. Although he didn't have any facial hair yet, a young VanVleet led Auburn to a final-four finish in the Illinois High School Association before committing to Wichita State.

    It's a head-scratcher how NBA teams overlooked the two-time MVC Player of the Year. Fortunately, the Toronto Raptors picked VanVleet up, as he became a critical piece to the franchise's first championship run in 2019 before signing to play for the Houston Rockets prior to the 2023-24 season.

    Marc Gasol

    Although born in Spain, a young Marc Gasol first started his basketball career in Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. Here, he already showcased potential by averaging 26 points, 13 rebounds, and six rejections per game.

    Named as Division II's Mr. Basketball in 2003, Gasol would return to Spain to play professional basketball before getting drafted into the NBA. Gasol would go on to become an NBA Defensive Player of the Year, three-time All-Star, and NBA champion.

    Steven Adams

    Steven Adams is arguably the greatest basketball export from New Zealand in the NBA today. However, he's also one of the players who has undergone one of the most intense transformations in the league today.

    Adams pinned the reason to puberty for his major transformation in terms of growing his beard. With a beard, fans tend to confuse the Grizzlies center with Aquaman's Jason Momoa.

    Jonas Valanciunas

    As a double-double machine, Jonas Valanciunas is currently making a positive impact for the New Orleans Pelicans. Although Valanciunas had a slow start while acclimating himself in the NBA, the 2011 fifth overall pick has shown why he was a lottery pick in the first place. In fact, before joining the Raptors, Valanciunas was making waves with Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius after earning the EuroCup Rising Star Award and FIBA European Young Player of the Year.

    Aron Baynes

    During the last stretch of his NBA career, Aron Baynes sported a noticeable thick ginger beard that matched his intensity on the hardwood. But as much as Baynes found his footing in the league around this time, it was a young and beardless version of him that helped the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA championship in 2014.

    Nikola Mirotic

    It's surprising that Nikola Mirotic only played in the NBA for five seasons, given the value he brings to the teams he played for. Nevertheless, with or without the beard, Mirotic is someone you never want to leave open. In fact, Mirotic is dominating the Euroleague basketball scene by taking MVP honors during the 2021-2022 season.

    Kyrie Irving

    Kyrie Irving is one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA today. However, everyone can agree that Irving's ball-handling skills on the court is in a class of its own.

    While he has become an NBA champion, back in high school, a young and unbearded Irving already showed us a glimpse of his determination to succeed in the best basketball stage in the world. Around this time, Irving was already casually taking over the high school basketball circuit.

    James Harden

    After becoming one of the best Sixth Men and transforming into an MVP, the NBA has plenty of good reasons to fear The Beard. Harden has arguably the most popular beard today, but he also has the skills to match.

    However, in high school, Harden looks like a totally different player without his signature beard. Nevertheless, the skills were already there after leading Artesia high school to two state championships. In addition to this, Harden also earned All-American honors before taking his talents to Arizona State.

    The post What 10 bearded NBA players looked like without facial hair appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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