Grading the NBA Draft Suits

Matt King by Senior Analyst Written on June 26, 2009

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NEW YORK - JUNE 25: First overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Clippers,  Blake Griffin is congratulated by members of his entourage during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

No matter how much talent is in the NBA Draft, one thing you can always count on is that you'll see some interesting suits. Some nice, some...not so nice.

Whether it's Jalen Rose's red suit or Karl Malone's short tie, the NBA Draft is a must-watch because you can't afford to miss a terrible fashion statement that big.

Let's see how the suits stacked up this year and grade how well the players dressed for the most important day of their lives.

No. 1: Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  Blake Griffin looks on prior to the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, Us

I'm not quite sure what Blake Griffin was thinking.

He is going to be considered the savior of the Clippers, the man who would set the wheels in motion for the franchise to turn things around.

So why was he decked out in purple, the color of the "other" team in Los Angeles?

Yeah, you looked sharp, buddy, but you might as well announce to the world, "As soon as my contract expires, I'm heading somewhere else."

Grade: C-

No. 2: Hasheem Thabeet, Memphis Grizzlies

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern shakes hands with the second overall draft pick by the Memphis Grizzlies,  Hasheem Thabeet during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USE

Hasheem Thabeet must have just watched Transformers because his suit looked metallic, like he was going for the robot look.

Thabeet looked a little bit like the Tin Man except the Tin Man had a better offensive game.

Grade: B-

No. 3: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  James Harden looks on prior to the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, Use

Thank you, James Harden. The NBA Draft would not be complete without somebody trying to make a fashion statement, and you decided to go with the ever-popular bow tie.

Here's the deal—the bow tie only works for tuxedos. Any other time, you look like a clown. 10 bucks says that thing spins around if you push a button.

Grade: F+

No. 4: Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the fourth overall draft pick by the Sacramento Kings,  Tyreke Evans during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE

Tyreke Evans went for a more traditional approach this year. The black suit with pinstripes is a classic that will never go out of style, like the Jheri Curl.

Okay, maybe not the Jheri Curl, but he still looked good.

Grade: B+

No. 5: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  Fifth overall draft pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves,  Ricky Rubio makes his way to the stage during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknow

I'm sure that Ricky Rubio's suit was expensive. It probably cost more than I could make in six months or so.

Still, even with all that, it still looks like Rubio wore something out of his dad's closet. He looked like a kid playing dress-up.

Grade: C

No. 6: Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  Sixth overall draft pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves,  Jonny Flynn is congratulated by members of his entourage during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: Use

Jonny Flynn went with the alma mater colors. It was very smooth with the pastel orange in honor of Syracuse.

Flynn was the first player drafted to go with the gray suit. You have to imagine he was feeling a little gray when the T-Wolves drafted a PG right before him, but it turns out they were a little PG hungry and took Flynn right after anyway.

Grade: A

No. 7: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the seventh overall draft pick by the Golden State Warriors,  Stephen Curry during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City

Stephen Curry goes right along with Ricky Rubio as players who looked like they came to the draft straight from a middle school dance.

Don't let his looks fool you. Rumor has it that Curry hit two threes while this picture was being taken.

Grade: C+

No. 8: Jordan Hill, New York Knicks

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the eighth overall draft pick by the New York Knicks,  Jordan Hill during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO

Jordan Hill went with the pinstripes, but he made sure to add a watch to his wardrobe because he heard that Knicks fans are going to turn on him in a New York minute, and he wanted to know when that minute was up.

The look on his face is like, "I know, I can't believe they drafted me either."

Grade: B-

No. 9: DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:   NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the ninth overall draft pick by the Toronto Raptors,  DeMar DeRozan during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE

DeSuit that DeMar is wearing looks a little wrinkly. You have to remember, he's just 19 years old. It's not a stretch to think that he left it laying on DeFloor all night.

It's okay, because once he goes to Toronto, the dressiest he'll have to get is when he dons his Canadian tuxedo.

Grade: C-

No. 10: Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee Bucks

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the tenth overall draft pick by the Milwaukee Bucks,  Brandon Jennings during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOT

You have to imagine that David Stern was none too pleased that Jennings found a loophole in his one year of college rule by heading overseas, so Jennings had to do a little sucking up by wearing the same color tie as the Commish.

Points off on his suit for having a different-colored handkerchief, though. I thought that some time overseas might have taught him a little more style.

Grade: C

No. 11: Terrence Williams, New Jersey Nets

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the eleventh overall draft pick by the New Jersey Nets,  Terrence Williams during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City.

Williams rocked a strangely shiny gray suit with an all-black shirt and tie underneath.

Perhaps the player who comes with the biggest questions about his character should have gone with something a little lighter. The all-black looks a little ominous.

Grade: C+

No. 12: Gerald Henderson, Charlotte Bobcats

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the twelfth overall draft pick by the Charlotte Bobcats, Gerald Henderson during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City.

Henderson had a nice gray suit, but there was what looked like a stain on his shoulders.

He did play at Duke, so it's possible that somebody splashed holy water on him, and it's starting to burn through his skin.

Grade: D

No. 13: Tyler Hansbrough, Indiana Pacers

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:   Thirteenth overall draft pick by the Indiana Pacers,  Tyler Hansbrough makes his way to the stage during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly ack

The biggest shock isn't that Hansbrough ended up going this low, it was that he felt confident enough to show up to the draft.

His suit was very nice, and I'm glad that the world got to appreciate it before Psycho-T tore it to pieces in celebration later on in the night.

Grade: A-

No. 15: Austin Daye, Detroit Pistons

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the fifteenth overall draft pick by the Detroit Pistons,  Austin Daye during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE

I feel bad for Daye's tailor. I can't imagine trying to fit a suit to someone this tall and this skinny.

Just look at Stern's face. He's thinking right now, "You know, I could probably take this guy if I wanted to."

Grade: C+

No. 17: Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the seventeenth overall draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers,  Jrue Holiday during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City

I hope Holiday didn't spend too much on that suit, because he won't be getting lottery-pick money.

Grade: B

No. 21: Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets

NEW YORK - JUNE 25:  NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the twenty first overall draft pick by the New Orleans Hornets,  Darren Collison during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York

Collison ended up being the last player chosen to come all the way to the draft. You know what that means—that suit is dealing with some major sweat issues.

That's too bad; it looks like a really sharp suit.

Grade: A (Hey, I have to give the kid some sort of consolation for waiting so long to hear his name.)

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written on June 26, 2009 Rankings/List

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