The best player in the NBA is going to look strikingly different the next time he takes the court.

According to Charlie McCarthy of FOXSports.com, LeBron James has plans to wear a protective mask when he returns from a broken nose later this week.

If King James has his way, it won’t be a Rip Hamilton-like standard facial mask. James wants something stylish, something with swag. Perhaps, something that kids will emulate.

''I've been talking to Marvel Comics for the last couple of days, and DC Comics, in trying to come up with one of the greatest masks of all-time,'' James told McCarthy after Wednesday morning's practice. ''We'll see what happens.''

When asked to elaborate, James simply said he wants “something crazy.”

Unfortunately for James, the NBA is unlikely to approve anything too crazy. The NBA is strict when it comes to altering on-court appearances and once vetoed Dwyane Wade’s request to wear tinted goggles during games. The league banned the tinted eyewear reportedly because they offered an unfair advantage as opponents could not see Wade's eyes.

Will the NBA feel that a "crazy" mask is a distraction to James' opponents? We should find out soon.

James suffered a broken nose last Thursday in a win over the Thunder and is scheduled to wear a protective mask for several weeks. He previously wore similar protective facial mask after suffering a broken cheekbone in 2004 while playing with Cleveland.

“It gets hot under there and it fogs up,” James said when asked about his prior mask-wearing experience.

James is averaging 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game this season.