As the NBA draft approaches, it’s time to talk fashion.
The best thing David Stern has done as NBA commissioner has been the 2005 implementation of the “business casual” dress code for all team affairs. While players like Allen Iverson pouted over the loss of their baggy jeans and t-shirts, most other players embraced the change, acquiring stylists and tapping top designers to dress them—making the NBA a place to look for style ideas and fashion insights.
A stunning example of style transformation is New York Knick, Carmelo Anthony. As the 3rd overall pick in the 2003 draft, ‘Melo wore this. The ill-fitting and oddly proportioned suit commands attention—but in all the wrong ways. Today, with the help of Brooklyn-based stylist Khalilah Williams-Webb, Anthony can be found in perfectly tailored custom suits complete with pocket-squares and funky glasses. Gone are the cornrows and baggy clothes of his Denver past.
Another NBA trendsetter—Lebron James, can think back on his draft look and cringe. The all-white ensemble reads much more of “trying too hard at the senior prom” than “future NBA MVP.” Today, who can deny the fashion impact of James with gaggles of people now sporting his trademark “emo” glasses? Stylist Rachel Johnson suggests that sporting the glasses is all about perception, saying that they’re ideal “ …in a business meeting or any situation in which a gentleman needs to present himself in a very serious light. It’s a great way to change the way people perceive you.”
Instagram, the online photo-sharing platform, has a great deal to do with this change of perception, which was exactly the goal Stern had in mind when implementing the NBA dress code. While it’s easy to find coverage of NBA athletes in sports magazines, websites, or newspapers—they’re often shown in uniform and on the court. Celebrity outlets covered them in plain-clothes—but to a much lesser extent than those in the entertainment industry.
Instagram opened the gates for NBA athletes to showcase their looks to wide audiences of NBA fans—who generally aren’t consulting the pages of Vogue for their fashion influences. “King James” with his nearly 3 million followers, all of whom privy to all of his stylist-influenced fashion choices, in-turn are imitating his style aesthetic. The same can be said for other notoriously snappy-dressing NBA players like Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul.
This kind of influence translates into big dollars—for designers, stylists, and the players themselves. When a player with a huge social media following instagrams the image of himself, it serves as instant advertising for the designer of the clothes, and the stylist who put the look together. For those who can’t afford the top of the line designer version of the outfit, the fashion industry is notorious for the “trickle down” syndrome—where lower-end brands will replicate an item and make it available for a wider audience.
While draft night has always been an occasion for looking one’s best—even prior to the NBA dress-code, it’s now more important than ever that big-name prospects look their best. As their image makes its way through social media, millions and millions of eyes will see it—even those who have no interest in the draft in and of itself. It is an opportunity for them to attract top designers who will want to dress them, based on the strength of their following—and use public perception in their favor.
Believe it or not, a bad suit can really hit them hard—maybe not on the court, but certainly in their pocket.