Dennis Rodman, Magic Johnson and the 5 Worst Fashion Styles in NBA History

Over the years, there have been many examples of poor taste, bad fashion choices and just plain ugliness in the NBA.

From the skin-tight uniforms of the '50s to the hair styles and tattoos that players show off today, NBA fashion has not always been good.

For some teams, it has been a double dose of ugliness when a player combined his unique look with a less than classy uniform.

Some of them are trying to stand out as individual, some are trying to keep up with popular societal styles and some are just plain bad.

Regardless of the reason, the following slides will show off some of the worst choices that players have made.

There is no way that I could have put all of the bad looks in one slideshow, so please tell me which player you would add to make this list even worse.

Basketball Shorts

One of the worst looks in the NBA was the super short and tight basketball shorts that players wore.

There is something that is just not right about seeing grown men running around dressed this way.

It was a great day in the NBA when players started to wear shorts that were a little bit longer and went down to the knee.

As the styles changed, so did NBA shorts that got longer and longer. They even got to the point for some players that they had to pay fines to the league for wearing shorts that were too long and too baggy.

Finally the league was able to find a compromise and say that shorts could only go to the knee.

Beards

Facial hair is a place where players and coaches can show their individuality.

Here are just a few of the interesting beards from around the league.

From the Bill Walton caveman look to the guys who really can't grow much, beards have been one place where players have been creative over the years.

It is a shame that it does not always turn out right.

Socks and Tights

Long socks, short socks, striped socks and multi-colored socks have all been tested out in the NBA.

At times the way players chooses to wear their socks has defined who they are and how they are remembered.

A few years ago a new style emerged that was quickly squashed by the league. Many players were starting to wear compression pants underneath their jersey shorts.

Some cited that this was for medical reasons, but for the most part guys just wanted to wear them.

The black ones were not too bad, but it got a bit out of hand when Kobe Bryant sported the purple ones. The new style was short-lived as the NBA banned players from wearing them.

Hair Styles

Like beards, hair styles have been the main source of players showing how unique and individual they can be.

While some players go with the conservative or low maintenance shaved look, these guys have taken a hairstyle to the next level.

Some of these represented what was cool and accepted in society at the time, and some are just plain bad.

Dennis Rodman

It is no secret that Dennis Rodman is in a bad fashion class of his own. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Even last summer when he was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame, he showed off his own style and fashion that made him famous.

While other players like Chris Anderson, Drew Gooden and Scot Pollard have tried to match Rodman's level of the bizarre, they have a long way to go to catch him.