We all know the NBA as being the number one leading sport nationwide. Most people watch the NBA because of its fast pace, their favorite players, the history, the smooth comboS and moves, and of course the style that is portrayed on and off the court. Back in the day, when it came to style, most NBA player were not focused on that. They only cared about wins and the championship. During the days of the Wilt Chamberlain’s, Magic Johnson’s, and so many more, they wore Chuck Taylor’s for basketball shoes. Plus the basketball shorts imitated boxers in a way.
Style was starting to get introduced a little more in the NBA when NBA superstars such as Michael Jordan started to release his own basketball shoes that broke the footwear market. His shoes were different from what the NBA had seen previously. It’s been 35 years and Jordan’s are still the most popular shoe. More and more basketball players started coming out with their own shoes after Jordan. People such as my older brother probably had every shoe that NBA players were releasing. My dad spoiled his kids to the fullest.
But in 1991, a group of college basketball players that go by the name, The Fab 5 changed how on court basketball swag looked. Instead of wearing the super tight basketball shorts, they opted out for bigger ones that gave the baggy look. They didn’t wear the typical white socks and white shoes. They chose to wear black socks and black shoes. It was a lot of controversy around their style, but they didn’t care. It was a new era and a start of a new style around the basketball world. After their debut of of the baggy shorts, many college players started taking up after the trend these 5 men started. Even some NBA players.
Fast forwarding a few years later came the person who really changed how players dressed in the league. Allen Iverson really changed the fashion game in professional basketball. He brought the swag to the league that many players were scared to exude. He rocked his cornrow braids which inspired my brother to grow out his hair and imitate. AI would wear super blinged out chains that you normally would see rappers wear and popular street wear that many people during that early 2000’s period would wear. He truly brought Hip Hop to the NBA. His swag was untouched and ultimately led many NBA stars to follow the trend and wear the clothes that they really wanted to wear. This was the beginning of the NBA tuning into a big fashion game.
Now fashion plays a huge part in the NBA, on and off the court. Many players have their own shoe dealS with many different and crazy color ways. The top basketball shoes would have to be KD’s (Kevin Durant shoes), Lebron’s (Lebron James shoe), and Kyrie’s (Kyrie Irving’s shoes). Players are not limited to one type of shoe or clothing style. With it being so many different fashion brands, the players now are able to express their personality through clothes. Players are able to express their true style when they first enter into the arena that they are about to play at. This is when they are able to show what type of fit that they pulled out today. Some go for the street style look, while some go for a little more outlandish look. Its hard to say who is the most fashionable or swaggiest in the league because they all come with the heat every game. The fashion industry in the NBA has become so big, that some players have partnerships with huge fashion brands and are even invited to fashion events and shows.
Major basketball magazines such as Slam, has devoted a whole Instagram page called @Leaguefits , where they show off and display these NBA players style while walking into their game or even outside of the arena. Some say that fashion is over shadowing the true essence of the game, but this is truly how these players are able to express themselves, minus expressing themselves on the court through their crazy moves.
–STAY TUNED FOR MORE DOPE FASHION
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