Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

NBA bans Magic guard Jalen Suggs' unusual headband practice

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Jan 3, 2026 3:13 PM ET

The NBA is putting a stop to Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs’ unusual equipment preference.

Suggs had taken to wearing his headband around his neck early in games. The league weighed in saying that Suggs must wear the headband properly on his head and not as a choker.

The NBA ruled that Magic guard Jalen Suggs must wear his headband on his head, not as a choker, to begin games. pic.twitter.com/1rNIet7Lbz
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 3, 2026

Suggs had started to wear his headband as a choker during warmups and for the first few minutes of games. In November, he explained that it stems from his time as a football player in high school, and he simply keeps it on his neck until he feels “into the game.”

I asked #Magic’s Jalen Suggs why he’s worn his headband around his neck in warmups and a few mins. into games. It stems from football:

“I wear it on my neck and once I feel into the game, into the flow I put it on my head and we rock … That’s just me being J-Suggs.”

More: pic.twitter.com/icHBKdU7R1
— Jason Beede (@therealBeede) November 14, 2025

It may not seem like a big issue, but the league has weighed in on how players wear headbands before. The NBA took action against so-called “ninja-style headbands” prior to the 2019-20 season, though their usage was much more widespread than what Suggs has been doing with his otherwise legal headband.

Between the league taking action against his headband preferences and getting put on a poster Friday, Suggs is not having the best week.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: