10. “Swaggy P” Nick Young
Can’t knock it, Nick Young opens this countdown of coolest dudes due to his fly guy nickname, Swaggy P. Swaggy is the most likely on the list to attend a post game interview in a Versace shirt and Tom Ford’s. He is engaged to a popular pop artist and plays in LALA land for the Lakers. Major cool points; too bad he was with the franchise at their lowest point.
9. Red Auerbach
Any man that smokes a phatty cigar after home victories and built and coached the best dynasty in professional sports history has to make this list.
8. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
He fought Bruce Lee! That’s cool! No one in NBA history has scored more points (38,387) than him. That’s cool! Also, his cameo in Airplane! was one of the best cameos by an athlete in the history of cinema. That’s cool!
7. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson was the orchestrator, jester, and monarch of the Showtime Lakers dynasty throughout the 1980s. His no-look passes and enthusiasm on the court won him championships (5). His charisma and coolness helped propel the NBA into the pantheon of popular American sports. Not only was he cool on the court, but off the court Johnson has become one of the most successful businessmen for serving urban communities. Cool dude, but an even greater man.
6. Dr. J
Let’s put it like this, Julius “Dr. J” Erving is who Michael Jordan looked up to growing up. Any fan of the sport can vividly picture him flying from the free throw line with his ‘fro blowing in the wind. He is so cool, he has the only Ph.D in the sport of basketball.
5. Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson was the OG bad boy of the NBA. He was such a renegade with his clothing that the league had to implement a dress code to clean up the image. AI was the first player since Jordan that every kid growing up wanted to be and idolized. Not to mention he was 6’1” on his tip-toes straight hooping.
4. Walt Frazier
Before the Russell Westbrooks and Chandler Parsons were showing up to arenas dapper to a T, Walt Frazier was revolutionizing the fly guy in the NBA. Frazier is a man who “distaines the mundane”. He inspired some GQ looks before athletes graced the covers of the heralded magazine. On top of that he was the last great New York Knick point guard.
3. Wilt Chamberlain
The three numbers why Wilt Chamberlain is number 3 on this list are: 31,419 career points, 100–points in a game, and 20,000 women slept with. That is the epitome of cool.
2. Pat Riley
Say he isn’t cool! The man is a legend.
1. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan’s popularity and coolest has turned him from fresh rookie, to global superstar, to the undisputed greatest basketball player ever. Not only is he the only former player that owns his own NBA franchise he has successfully changed himself into a symbol. The re-releases of his iconic shoes are just as important as their original drops. He was so cool Nike built their entire company brand off of the successes of his “Airness”. He came out of early retirement following three straight championships to have another championship 3-peat. When people have a jingle about how they want to be you…you have to be cool.
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