Basketball's Best Beards

There aren't many things more manly and masculine than a full-beard. All the great historical leaders had them: Jesus, King Leonidas, Blackbeard, Gandalf, Rasputin, ZZ-Top, Brian Wilson, Brett Keisel, etc..

But a full-beard in college basketball is quite the site-to-see.

A full-beard is a sign of hard-work, commitment, and determination.

Personally I've never understood how an athlete can perform with all that facial hair tugging and pulling and getting itchy and sweaty.

But there are some college basketball players that this doesn't seem to bother. Not only have the brave men decided to grow beards, they have decided to take it to the next level.

And that's why I'm here: to applaud these men for their hard work, commitment to excellence and determination.

Consider this list as an addendum to our analysis of the best hairdos in college hoops


Evan Fjeld - Vermont

This is by far the best mustache in the history of college basketball, and possibly the best mustache in the history of college athletics.


I'm well aware it's not a beard, but I mean, god-damn that's a mustache. I'm talking "a real man's mustache". The mustaches of Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck can't even compare to what this baby-faced assassin is growing on his upper-lip. If Vermont can win the America East Tournament, I am sure you will all be hearing a lot more about this 'stache come March Madness.


Marcus Jordan - Central Florida

"Heir Jordan" clearly wants to create his own imagine. Unlike his father, who was always clean-shaven, Marcus has decided to take an entirely different route.


His beard/goatee is accentuated by the headband and rec-specs. The beard is unkempt and somewhat all-over-the-place, but because of all the accessories used to compliment it, Marcus is able to pull-off this look. But if I didn't know any better, I'd think he was the son of Kimbo Slice and not "His Airness".


Deniz Kilicli - West Virginia

The "Turkish Terror" is having an outstanding season thus far. he was unable to play most of last season, so this is technically his first full season of college hoops. But the Mountaineer big-man can spot up from anywhere, has nice low-post moves and is a rebounding machine. But his beard/mohawk combo is equally impressive.


What makes Deniz's beard so interesting is that it is an entirely different color than his hair. The Turkish native has a jet-black mohawk, but from sideburns down, his facial hair is light-brown.


Dallas Lauderdale - Ohio State

The Ohio State enforcer is the owner of one of the fiercest neck-beards in the country.


The senior power-forward received the most votes in a Sports Illustrated preseason poll for "The last player you would want to get into a fight with". Seriously, he' looks like he's got "old-man strength". I would not want to mess with Dallas "Fort" Lauderdale or his robust man-mountain.

Lauderdale kinda reminds me of Suge Knight, and that's a guy you definitely don't want to mess with.


Joe Latas & Jeremy Montgomery - Cleveland State

These guys must have been competing in a beard-growing contest a la DaShawn Stephenson and Drew Gordon. I mean god-damn look at these beards.




The Cleveland State duo is certainly embodying the "viking" culture, and I love it.


Jacob Pullen - Kansas State

"The People's Champ" has hands-down the most famous beard in college hoops.


Thanks to the fans at the Bramlage Colliseum, the "Fear the Beard" campaign exploded and swept the nation. There are "Jacob Pullen fake beards" for sale, and even his head coach Frank Martin donned one during a post-game interview. It might not be the best beard in the country, but it is certainly the most popular.


Lucas O'Rear - Nothern Iowa

It could be argued that O'Rear has the best beard in the country. O'Rear donned mutton-chops for much of last season, but decided to go all out this season. He is known for his hustle, his character and his personality. And by looking at this picture, I don't think you can doubt his character and personality.


Aside from being the leader of the Northern Iowa basketball squad, he is also a standout pitcher and was drafted last year by the Cincinnati Reds.



Take another look at O'Rear and tell me he doesn't look kinda-like Kenny Powers.

And you know what Kenny Powers said?

"Missouri Valley Conference, you're f***ing out!"


Benzor Simmons - UT-Martin

The Skyhawk senior rocks one of the best, most-robust goatee-beards in the country. I mean look at this thing. I would hate to get get a face-full of that during a rebound attempt. It could take your eye out or strip layers of skin off like a brillow pad.


Benzor is one of the most unique names in the country (yes, he was on the B.I.A.H All-Name Team), and so is his beard.


Kenton Walker II - St. Mary's

I won't fault you if you are unfamiliar with Mr. Walker. After laying at Creighton for two seasons, where he logged roughly 11-mpg, he transfered to Moraga and had to sit out last season. But the junior guard is trying to make up for lost time by rocking one of the thickest beards in the game.


He's only averaging six-points-per-game, but his contributions to the game of basketball cannot be measured strictly by statistics.


Chris Warren - Ole Miss

Last, but certainly not least, is Chris Warren, the main in-charge of the best beard in the Deep South. The undersized point guard has an oversized beard, and in-gym range as well.


Warren is the leader of the Ole Miss basketball team, and his dedication to keeping his beard fresh is a tribute to his leadership skills.

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Lucas O'Rear's injury already costing Northern Iowa

The most under reported news item of the past week was Lucas O'Rear, Northern Iowa's burly (and bearded), fracturing his ankle on Wednesday night. The injury requires surgery and will ended O'Rear's season and career at Northern Iowa.

The big Irishman isn't the Panthers best player. At 6'6", 260 lb, he looks more like a bartender at your friendly neighborhood O'McSally's than a basketball player for a team that made the Sweet 16 last season. He doesn't score all that many points (6.9 per game) and doesn't grab all that many rebounds (5.7 per, although that leads the team), but what he provides doesn't get tabulated in a box score.

O'Rear is a leader on that team. He's an experienced player -- he was a integral part of that trip to the Sweet 16 team last season -- that provides toughness and physicality on the block. He doesn't need or want the ball. He's fine pushing around opposing big men, setting picks, diving on the floor, and doing the dirty work around the rim.

Every team needs a player like that, especially if you want to compete in the ultra-competitive Missouri Valley Conference.

Evidence?

Today's game at Drake. The Panthers lost to the Bulldogs 72-69. That is the same Drake team that had lost six of their last eight games, with the only two wins coming against Southern Illinois and Illinois State. Its also the same Drake team that lost by 20 -- and you don't lose by 20 in the Valley, every game is close -- to Northern Iowa just two weeks ago.

The loss dropped the Panthers two full games behind Wichita State in the loss column in the Valley standings. With only five games left on their schedule, the Panthers now look like a long shot to win the Valley's regular season title.
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Northern Iowa's Lucas O'Rear gets drafted...

Lucas O'Rear doesn't look like an athlete.

6'7" and a hefty 256 lbs with a curly mini-fro and mutton chops that would impress Ambrose Burnside, O'Rear looks like he belongs serving pints of Guinness at McMurphy's, not on a D1 scholarship. As one friend so aptly put it, O'Rear is "the Irishman of Irishmen".

Believe it or not, O'Rear is one of the best athletes in the country.

He looks like a baseball player, doesn't he?
(photo credit: Bleacher Report)

O'Rear has won back-to-back Missouri Valley sixth man of the year awards for Northern Iowa, helping this year's team to a national ranking, an MVC regular season and tournament title, and an upset of Kansas in the second round on the NCAA Tournament which propelled the Panthers to the Sweet 16.

Graceful? Nope. Pretty? Uh-uh. Explosive? Not a chance.

But it was O'Rear's grit and hard work that made him such a valued member of the team. Whether it was setting a pick, taking a charge, battling for position in the paint, or grabbing a rebound, O'Rear was the guy that did UNI's dirty work.

O'Rear was also a member of the UNI baseball team. I say 'was', because UNI no longer has a baseball team, a victim to budget cuts back in 2009. As a sophomore, O'Rear appeared in 10 games, carrying a 4.67 era in 17.1 innings, although he did strike out 15 hitters. He was also able to hit low-90's on the radar gun, which, despite not playing collegiate baseball during the 2010 season, was enough to get him workouts from Major League teams.

O'Rear expected to get scooped up somewhere in the late rounds of Tuesday's MLB draft.

The Cincinnati Reds grabbed him up in the 13th round.

"I never thought the 13th round was in the equation, no way," O'Rear told FanHouse Tuesday night. "I would like to think the Reds took a chance on me. I don't think it's really sunk in yet, kind of like after we beat Kansas. It's probably going to take a few days, but it's also going to be fun to see how far I can take this."

Ironically, he got the news while participating in an off-season workout for the basketball team.

O'Rear said that he will likely return to finish his basketball eligibility and get his degree, but that doesn't mean baseball isn't in his future. He could play in the Reds minor league system this summer if he was so inclined.

O'Rear is going to need to put in the work to build his arm strength back up, but that's expected when you are forced to miss an entire baseball season.

A broad, 6'7", mutton-chopped pitcher throwing in the 90's?

O'Rear may just have a future in baseball.

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