Grading Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and Every Notable 2025 NBA Draft Suit
The 2025 NBA draft is officially underway at Barclays Center, and you know what that means: Suits—all kinds of suits.
Over the years, the NBA draft has become a place for the new stars of the league to make a statement with their outfits before they ever even hit the court. Some iconic fits from decades ago remain vivid in our memory, like Samaki Walker's bowler hat from 1996, LeBron James' all white getup from 2003, and Jalen Rose's pinstripes from 1994 that would start a career featuring spectacular fashion throughout.
The draft is also a great way to get a pulse on the trends of the moment: the baggier suits from James' draft class, the Michael Jackson inspiration seen in the 1984 class featuring Hakeem Olajuwon's unforgettable look, and the streetwear-inspired classes from the past few years.
What type of statement is this year's class making? Let's grade the most notable suits of the 2025 NBA draft.
Cooper Flagg, Mavericks: B-
1 of 10
Boldness: Look, "the Maine Event" sure dressed exactly like a softer-spoken person out of Maine would, and there's nothing wrong with that. Flagg likes to let his game do the talking, and the No. 1 overall pick didn't need to—or want to—say too much with his suit game.
Signature Elements: Not much in particular stands out about Flagg's draft suit besides the most important thing: The royal blue color, aka the Mavericks' signature color. The three-piece element is a nice touch, but of course we'll only remember the Mavericks' blue 10 years from now.
Tailoring: At least the tailoring was slightly interesting here, as Flagg's look is pretty sharp down to the ankle. We tend to appreciate a suit fit that is somewhere in between tight and baggy, and Flagg's tailor nailed it. It looks like it was designed in a lab for him, so despite not much going on with the style of the suit, he gets points for the fit.
Overall: This is essentially what we expected Flagg to wear. It's not too flashy, but it's clean. He isn't trying to be something he isn't, and we respect that. It's a classic three-piece suit, it's the color of his new team, and it looks good.
Dylan Harper, Spurs: A-
2 of 10
Boldness: While this outfit is definitely bold, the boldness isn't the thing about it, and that's when you know Harper is doing something right.
Signature Elements: A sparkly suit coat, sure, we've seen that before. But sparkly pants?! Harper was able to pull off a rare sparkly pant with ease, and the kids better give him some aura points for that one.
Tailoring: Chef's kiss with the lapel again, folks!
Overall: Harper nailed the "I'm wearing the suit, the suit's not wearing me" vibe with a pretty out there pant moment. We're officially looking forward to his pre-game outfits for years to come.
Ace Bailey, Jazz: A
3 of 10
Boldness: We'll let former teammate Harper's reaction to Bailey's suit do the talking.
Signature Elements: Shall we defer to the AB chain, the bedazzled suit jacket or the Rutgers Red? Bailey went big for draft night while paying homage to his college team.
Tailoring: We love the decisions with the button structure here.
Overall: Bailey has been the talk of the town this draft, and we always appreciate a fashion moment that leans into the talk.
Tre Johnson, Wizards: D
4 of 10
Boldness: You always get an effort point for boldness in our book, so we'll give that to Tre Johnson.
Signature elements: The socks, unfortunately.
Tailoring: The socks. We know far too much about them.
Overall: I understand that the long-shorts look isn't just in right now, but it also pays homage to the Superfine style. We loved that. That wasn't the problem. The socks? They were the problem.
Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans: A+
5 of 10
Boldness: There's something great about an understated boldness, like a quirk or two that makes an outfit interesting to look at. But there's nothing like actually going big or going home, and Fears went big.
Signature Elements: Can aura qualify as a signature element? The pattern placement and corresponding textures throughout the outfit will do.
Tailoring: The three-piece suit element really enhances the whole ensemble and makes an impact here.
Overall: Going this bold isn't for everyone, but it is definitely for Fears.
Cedric Coward, Grizzlies: C+
6 of 10
Boldness: This might've played as a pretty bold look a decade or two ago, but draft day looks are only getting bolder and bolder. What's great about this is it boldly shows who Coward is with some meaningful quotes and pictures, and a little bit of bling.
Signature Elements: Well, you can't really miss the CC necklace, can you? Hate it or love it, we just aren't getting through a draft without a statement jewelry piece or 12.
Tailoring: Coward's tailoring is pretty run-of-the-mill—the jewelry and the suit coat are the main event.
Overall: Nothing chokes us up at the draft like players paying homage to those who have helped them along the way, and we love that Coward is showcasing his family and celebrating himself with his accessories. We just wish it all would've been a bit more cohesive.
Noa Essengue, Bulls: D for Drip
7 of 10
Boldness: Are we in on this joke? Is this the play on words we think it is?
Signature Elements: Is that...is that...drip? Is he dripping?
Tailoring: The tailoring on this one is actually pretty cool as a homage to the early 2000s LeBron days.
Overall: This is so camp, so MetGala, so meta. We're obsessed. We think.
Carter Bryant, Spurs: B+
8 of 10
Boldness: Oh, there's no problem with the boldness level. That's for sure.
Signature Elements: Don't let the almost entirely exposed chest distract you from the bedazzled shoes or the Hugh Hefner robe of it all.
Tailoring: The tailoring is unique, with the double-breasted suit juxtaposed by the exposed chest. It creates something interesting to look at, and the satin helps it along.
Overall: Can anyone help us figure out how we feel about this one? Do we love it? Do we hate it? We aren't sure, but we will be following along with Bryant's pre-game looks—that's for sure.
Nolan Traoré, Nets: B+
9 of 10
Boldness: Traoré's suit is the perfect kind of bold: It's interesting, but it's not screaming at you, saying, "Look at me!" The delicate and faint flower pattern is a good combination of original, fun and classy.
Signature elements: The lapel is simple yet refined, but of course the paint-splatter element steals the show here. The silk texture is a great touch.
Tailoring: The lapel really goes a long way to give the sea of flowers more definition and geometry.
Overall: We love black and blue done correctly, and this is the textbook definition of how to do it correctly. Opt for the black undershirt and black tie as your canvas, then juxtapose it with some faint blue for the pattern.
Nique Clifford, Kings: A
10 of 10
Boldness: Why so serious? Fashion is taking a more whimsical turn these days after years of sad millennial beige vibes. Clifford is on trend here, and he's proving fun and bold doesn't have to mean gaudy.
Signature elements: Look at the Nikes! Ah! Fun! Not much is more satisfying than when someone dares to wear sneakers with a suit and it actually enhances the vibe of the outfit.
Tailoring: The tailoring can make or break the quirky suits, so shout out to Clifford for nailing it.
Overall: There's just something about this one. It shows that Clifford obviously put effort into this and he takes the event and fashion seriously, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. He's got some confidence that shines through in this gradient number.
