The Barbers and Stylists Behind the NBA’s Freshest Haircuts and Braids, from Allen Iverson to Jayson Tatum
Basketball is often used as a form of self-expression. There are no shields or helmets like other sports, therefore each team is elevated for the world to see.
Jules Gutierrez has been cutting Jayson Tatum’s hair since he was a little boy. When asked about the importance of hair and the League, he explains, “A barber’s work can be so influential to someone’s confidence and style.”
He elaborated: “Seeing Jayson’s influence with his basketball skills alone and how that transcends to his style is very humbling to me…[and] knowing that people around the world want that same haircut is surreal.”
Another tenured stylist, Saadiyah, is the living legend behind Allen Iverson’s larger-than-life hairstyles. She has been on set for commercial and magazine shoots, as well as traveled the world to ensure his iconic hair is presentable and tightly manicured. Saadiyah shares how her client opened doors: “Before the cornrows, there was the afro, and Allen [Iverson] broke through the glass ceiling by representing our culture, being himself and doing things his way.”
Terrence “Toot” Collins is an accomplished barber with NBA and NFL clientele. He cuts the Atlanta Hawks De’Andre Hunter’s hair and has been a mentor and friend. Collins shares, “I told him when he was 8 years old, that he would be an NBA player…he used to come to the shop with a basketball.”
“De’Andre’s dad died and his brother Aaron, mom and sister surrounded him with good positive people.”
“The barber is really important to a person’s development,” Collins says, “not just the physical appearance, more importantly their life.”
Anthony Gilbert is a Philadelphia native and graduate of Temple University. He currently writes for SLAM Magazine and is one of the founders of SOLE Collector Magazine. Follow @axgilbert on Twitter and Instagram for his thoughts, inspiration, and updates from within and around the NBA.
