Back in 1991, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, Jimmy King, Juwan Howard, and Ray Jackson were all recruited by head coach Steve Fisher to play for the University of Michigan. Known as the “Fab Five” the group not only made waves by starting together as freshman and advancing to two NCAA championship games, but also for the way they carried themselves both on and off the court.
As chronicled in the latest Uproxx Video, the Fab Five’s impact on the game of basketball is immeasurable. They were the first group to wear low black socks and baggy shorts, they played with extreme confidence and swagger, even before that word became a thing. Simply put, they changed the way that basketball was viewed and infused the game with a sense of hip-hop that was previously lacking.
Their achievements on the court weren’t too shabby either, as they made it to the national championship game in both seasons they played together in Ann Arbor, losing to Duke and North Carolina respectively. The Fab Five haven’t gone down in the history books without controversy, though, as their wins have all since been vacated by the NCAA after several of them were found to be taking money from boosters.
Regardless of your opinion on the two Michigan teams as a whole, their impact on both the collegiate and NBA game is undeniable, and evidence of their on and off court style still exists today.