Basketball fashion is iconic — the influences of NBA and college stars go beyond the boundaries of their uniforms. These players, unlike any others, bring something extra to the world of professional sports: style that transcends the game and turns basketball into a cultural superpower.
The sport's transition from short-shorts to knee-length shorts prompted the public to (thankfully) follow suit. The introduction of Air Jordans in the 80s yielded a mainstay shoe that has yet to go out of style. Allen Iverson’s cornrows married hip-hop culture to basketball. You can still find Chuck Taylors in countless closets. Jerseys have bridged the gap between casual wear and a statement piece. (See: Miley Cyrus wearing the remains of a Chicago Bulls jersey in the music video for “23.”)
Like any other sport, the greatest moments tend to involve a winning season and a trophy, but basketball superstars make as much of a statement off the court as they do on it. Instead of only signing deals with Nike or Gatorade, these men and women promote their personal styles on the cover of GQ or front-row at Fashion Week, and people take notice. The players are the brand, and their style is their branding.
Westbrook is the best-brook
Few players can cause as much hype — and confused speculation — when they step off the bus as Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook. For Oklahoma City Thunder's season opener against the Nuggets, he showed up in a shiny, Jetsons-esque jacket that resembled aluminum foil. While Westbrook's interstellar fashion does go beyond what most people would ever wear, surprisingly, it works. I’m not saying to go out and buy a space jacket (in all honesty, he may be the only person who can escape wearing something like that with even a little dignity), but be sure to pay attention to Westbrook’s radical style.
While other basketball icons gravitate towards well-tailored designer suits, Westbrook strives to defy all fashion norms. This is the man who buttoned his shirts all the way up before it was cool, who mixed patterns in new and daring ways and who wore leather jogging pants a la Kanye West. This is the man who somehow made lens-less, thick-framed glasses cool (albeit for a short time). This is the man whose Instagram (which I highly recommend you follow) revolves around gold Gucci shoes and overalls instead of just his basketball exploits. You can tweet all you want about how the floral jacket and ripped leggings he wore after game 4 of the 2013 playoffs looked like something your girlfriend would wear, but remember that he's the mastermind behind the Russell Westbrook XO line at Barneys and star of many a fashion blog. This fashion savant is abiding by his own playbook.
And then everyone else in the NBA
Russell Westbrook is in his own league style-wise, but that doesn’t mean fashion hasn’t become an NBA-wide phenomenon. Not only do their clothes somehow fit, but they're tailored so well and so precisely that the players look like they're normal sized, not intimidatingly large, which is a fashion miracle in and of itself.
Things weren’t always this way, though. Pre-2005, most players would arrive to games and press conferences in baggy warm-ups and basketball shoes. While this isn’t necessarily inappropriate (they are athletes, after all), it didn’t allow players to have any influence outside of the constraints of their sport. This all changed when former NBA Commissioner David Stern implemented a mandatory dress-code.
Jahmal Landers, owner of Bowyer and Fletcher, told Racked National, "The typical platinum-and-diamond encrusted NBA superstar took casual attire to the next level on their way to and from the stadium. The NBA was trying to find its identity in the 'after Jordan' era … The NBA was getting married to hip-hop and thugs and Stern … felt he had to make the NBA more palatable."
Now, the NBA is synonymous with GQ covers, Fashion Week and trendsetting. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (of course) started wearing small backpacks to press conferences and — voila — a trend was born. Sneakers are now acceptable on red carpets. Fitted suits and modern attire define the NBA’s look, a far cry from the slack image of years prior.
“Can I Digg-in?”
While Drake’s ode to Skylar Diggins at last year’s ESPYs was creepier than anyone wanted it to be, this Notre-Dame-turned-WNBA-star deserved all of the (uncomfortable) praise. Skylar Diggins is a goddess. She was the WNBAs Most Improved Player last year, but continues to involve herself in activities other than basketball, like modeling and putting her business degree to use.
What's most important isn't how she looks — it's the unique blend of her skilled athleticism and canny public persona. She uses her basketball career as a platform for things like launching a line with Nike or walking the runway at a Stephanie Costello show. She sets a certain standard for all basketball stars to abide by when not on the court — she shows everyone that these stars can be much more than just athletes.
Draft Day Runway
One by one, once-college stars have their names called and take the long walk from their seats to the stage. It's a life-changing moment — from that time forward, they're a part of the NBA, which means they're also a part of the culture. Sports Illustrated thoughtpieces on what the picks mean for the season go hand-in-hand with GQ articles on the players' fashion choices.
Last Draft Day, Andrew Wiggins wore a floral-print tuxedo and made it the absolute coolest, while the safest prospect in the draft, Jabari Parker, lived up to his title by wearing a safe grey suit. These choices make a statement. That's what makes Draft Day so significant: the NBA instantaneously lifts already fashionable choices into headline-making styles.