Nothing But Net and a Nice Gucci Set

WRITTEN BY ANIKA CHHABRA ART BY SERENA BRUNO

When you think of basketball, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Tall guys in shorts trying to make a ball into the hoop? Maybe even all of the Kardashian’s ex-boyfriends or husbands? Well, they’re both right. Basketball has always been a sport that somehow intersects with fashion. I guess A-list celebrities sitting courtside wearing this season’s new Rick Owens and accessorizing with overpriced popcorn watching tall sweaty guys shoot hoops is riveting.

Basketball games themselves have become a hub for anyone and everyone to show out. Now obviously, we must pay homage to the it-girls and guys who started it all. The holy trinity of courtside fashion, if you will, Beyonce, Rihanna, and Drake. If someone is ever sitting courtside at a basketball game, chances are it’s one of the three, and they will be there attending as if it was New York Fashion Week. But, the question remains of how courtside regulars’ fashion sense transferred over to the actual players.

Well, I propose to you my theory: the Kardashian boyfriend to well-dressed athlete pipeline. The year was 2010; a newly single Kimberly Kardashian found herself in the arms of yet another, Kris Humphreys. We all know Khloe was the original sister with an NBA boyfriend, but Kim always got the hype for it. Somewhere along the lines of their steady and long relationship staggering over 72 days, Kim instilled some kind of fashion sense in this man. Just gracing the Nets with her presence in Christian Louboutins definitely made an impact, whether it was to the wooden floor or the actual players. However, Kimberly has recently passed the torch to her little sister Kendall Jenner.

We can sit here and argue that Kendall Jenner being the highest-paying model in the industry is an injustice to society, but that’s not what this article is about. Kendall Jenner, nepotism baby, horse girl, and Tupac Shakur spirit animal enthusiast, is the girlfriend of NBA Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker. Kendall’s experience working in the fashion industry has undoubtedly granted a sense of style that perfectly matches her street-style boyfriend, Devin. The same scenario as Kim, only Kendall never really instilled this onto his image. Devin Booker has always had a sense of fashion; Kendall simply elevated it a bit more. Although, I don’t want to talk about the intersection of fashion and basketball by claiming that the Kar-Jenner clan had everything to do with this phenomenon without crediting the men who paved the way for fashionista basketball athletes. Let’s start with a little basketball fashion history 101, shall we? The biggest name in the sport’s history, Michael Jordan, started to create the shift in basketball fashion by creating the legendary Nike Jordan’s. Before he came along, basketball players were still hitting the court in converse. Jordan changed this during the NBA All-Star dunk contest in 1988 by showcasing his new Air Jordans cementing the iconic jump man logo seen on Jordans today. Little did he know that would be a pivotal moment in fashion history, pioneering sneaker culture and providing inspiration to Miley Cyrus’s infamous song “23.”

Following this, we have my favorite, Dennis Rodman. You know, that guy on the $60 Urban Outfitters shirt you wear every day to class, yeah, him. Rodman has been very well known for everything but playing offensively throughout basketball history. That being said, Rodman parted the red sea and paved the way by introducing crossdressing, exotic piercings, and crazy-colored buzz cuts. Can you believe someone did it before Frank Ocean? Blurring the lines between masculine and feminine fashion, you could say Rodman was, in a sense, the Kurt Cobain of basketball. He is by far the coolest player who encouraged others in the industry to dress however they felt comfortable, and I think that’s beautiful. Oh yeah, and of course, Dennis Rodman also was the muse behind… well, just type into Spotify “Dennis Rodman,” and you’ll find a plethora of songs with his name attached to them. None of which were good, so don’t even bother, honestly.

Allen Iverson appears next on the basketball fashion hall of fame timeline. Hip-Hop culture was a significant influence in Iverson’s life, which showed through his style. Not only did his style influence players in the league, but also his appearance. Allen Iverson was one of the first NBA players to have cornrows and tattoos in basketball. Lastly, this man inspired yet another major song, “White Iverson” by Post Malone. In brief, if it weren’t for these guys I just mentioned, your boyfriend probably wouldn’t have anyone to steal outfit ideas from.

Anyways, getting out of the 90s and back into today’s time, let’s talk about more cool tall dudes who dress nice—woohoo. As a Miami native, I am obviously a big Miami Heat fan, but not just because they’re tall and hot. Oh no, wait, yeah, that is actually why. Anywho, the surge of the pre-game photo ops is definitely what