LeBron James has tweaked his look and people are freaking out.
The four-time NBA MVP has been playing without his signature accessory, a headband, and fans are having trouble coming to terms with his new appearance.
VERY uncomfortable with LeBron ditching the headband. Feels like walking in on a naked friend http://t.co/rFLqROCLtp pic.twitter.com/q71jZ1okkm
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) March 11, 2015
LeBron not wearing a headband is weird.
— Dan Kadar (@MockingTheDraft) March 8, 2015
BREAKING: Lebron is playing without his headband...
— Cassidy Hubbarth (@CassidyHubbarth) March 11, 2015
Twitter freaked out last night after LeBron James changed up his game: http://t.co/xGJBY1JhOf pic.twitter.com/28aRt4HMFl
— Complex (@ComplexMag) March 11, 2015
RIP LeBron headband
— Anthony Lima (@AnthonyLimaFAN) March 11, 2015
James has, of course, played without the accessory before. Most notably he dominated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals after his headband was knocked off. But this week was the first time James had ever started a regular season game without the headband.
LeBron says this was actually the 2nd time in his career he started a game w/o a headband - 1st was a preseason game in DET as a rookie
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 11, 2015
James ditched the headband in the Cavaliers previous game, on Mar. 7 against the Phoenix Suns. He started the Suns' game with the headband but came in in the second quarter without it.
"Just happened, spur (of the moment), just took it off," James told reporters afterwards.
As for why he's doing it, no one is really sure. Either he doesn't have a good reason or he's keeping it quiet from reporters.
@ramonashelburne Haha he just kind of shook his head and shrugged his shoulders when asked for a reason. Maybe just to eff with us.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 11, 2015
It should be mentioned that James' hairline has been receding for several years, and some fans theorized that he was keeping the headband as a way of maintaining a youthful look. Here's what James looked like as a rookie without the headband; we'll let you decide if he appears as though he's aged well.
lebron, w/o headband, rookie season. pic.twitter.com/kFT17rTAeA
— alex (@steven_lebron) March 11, 2015
For what it's worth, Cleveland coach David Blatt is on board with the new look.
"I've never been a headband guy," Blatt said following his squad's victory over Phoenix, "but I'm so old school."
James played well in his first full game without the headband, leading all scorers with 27 points and also passing Mark Price for sole possession of the Cavaliers' career assists record.
Via Deadspin, here's a throwback to James' first NBA preseason game, on Oct. 7, 2003, when he also declined to wear a headband.