NBA's Obsession with Fashion Is Inevitable for the Sport
Gone are the days when professional basketball players made their boldest fashion statements on draft night. In today's NBA, the "hipster chic" style has taken over virtually every locker room, and it isn't going away anytime soon.
Eight years ago, NBA commissioner David Stern implemented a dress code to improve the league's image among its fans and advertising partners. The policy states that players are permitted to wear business casual attire when engaged in team business, and must wear a sport coat and dress shoes when sitting on the bench while on the inactive list.
It was a clear attempt to rid the NBA of the hip-hop influence that had been pervasive over the previous decade. With specific bans on jerseys, chains and sunglasses, the league's missive clearly targeted those such as then-Philadelphia 76er Allen Iverson, who was infamous for his baggy pants and compact car-sized medallions.
"They're targeting my generation—the hip-hop generation," said Iverson in a television interview shortly after the dress code was unveiled, via the Washington Post. "You can put a murderer in a suit and he's still a murderer."
While the initial backlash was fierce, players ultimately complied with the new rules—largely because they had no choice. But instead of launching a full-throated crusade against the dress code, they've—for better or for worse—put their own stamp on Stern's declaration.
Of course, given their competitiveness during actual games, it was only natural for the league's players to try to outdo each other with their fashion off of the court as well. So in a span of less than a decade, the NBA went from hip-hop to hipster, replacing the styles of Karl Kani and Mitchell & Ness with the latest from Louboutin and Givenchy.
The genesis of the movement isn't entirely clear, but it seems to have started with the thick-rimmed glasses (often without actual lenses) that Miami's Dwyane Wade began sporting in 2009. With his Versace jackets and polka-dot Gucci suits, Wade may be the unrecognized king of the NBA fashion game, but he doesn't make much of it.
"Just like everybody, we all have something that we like outside of what we do," said Wade in an interview with USA Today. "I...have a little fun with it, and over the course of time, my tastes have changed, and I take more risks."
Others, such as Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook, have made their own bold wardrobe statements in recent years, but no one is even close to Wade's level. The Heat shooting guard is so fashion-forward that he picked out all of his outfits for this year's postseason before the playoffs even began.
The league has embraced the trend: Not only have they co-opted the #NBAStyle hashtag on Twitter, but they've also dedicated a blog to the latest in NBA fashion. When a player is photographed wearing something memorable while entering the arena, it usually doesn't take long for the image to go viral on numerous social networks.
"Game 5 edition of what @paul_george24 is wearing...pastel plaid... twitter.com/PacersKrissy/s…
— Krissy Myers (@PacersKrissy) May 30, 2013"
Players aren't just looking at film to dissect their opponents' tendencies—they're checking out YouTube to see who wore what to the arena yesterday. There are even good-natured, style rivalries within the teams themselves.
"LeBron [James] falters occasionally," said Miami Heat forward Shane Battier in an interview with GQ about his team's unofficial fashion competition. "And when he does, we let him know about it."
As more players begin to recognize the importance of branding—Jay-Z's "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man" lyric is appropriate here—the number of those who try to set themselves apart fashion-wise is only going to increase. And while the general public may not be willing to embrace the latest from Yves Saint Laurent, the stars wearing said clothing believe that it's just another way to connect with their fans.
"I feel like the way that I dress says a lot about my personality," said Wade in an interview with GQ. "A lot of people will not get a chance to talk to me, but when they look at me, they can get an idea of who Dwyane Wade is."
