Elfrid Payton, a point guard who was a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, was recently traded from the Orlando Magic to the Phoenix Suns.
He is a free agent this offseason and with all of the recent changes in his life, the latest might be the most surprising. As noted by former teammate Evan Fournier, the 24-year-old changed his haircut.
Payton has been often asked about his decision to grow out his high-rise hair (via NBA.com):
“A lot of people look at the hair and think I’m probably some kind of crazy person, but I’m actually laid back. It’s like I’m totally opposite, so I guess it gives me some balance.’’
While the style was a signature part of his appearance, it seemed to have an occasionally negative impact on his game.
You can see this highlight below, where he was caught air balling a shot close to the basket because his hair got in the way of his vision.