NBA Fit Game - Playoff Edition
They're all competing for a ring, but some of these players are still winning off the court.
Besides the Grizzlies getting swept (see ya next season Ja), the first round of this year’s NBA playoffs have been incredibly exciting to watch. Just like the NFL, NBA players are getting active within this industry and it’s much more than getting their tunnel fits off. Let’s check out some of the players who are making waves in fashion right now.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Oklahoma City Thunder
In his seventh season in the league, SGA is a finalist for the NBA’s prestigious MVP award. Off the court, he’s always putting a ton of effort into his outfits. He’s been invited to the Met Gala twice, which is no small feat given how many celebrities and athletes are always vying for a spot. Like many other professional basketball players he has his own shoe, but he was much more involved with the design process since he’s the Creative Director of Converse Basketball. The Shai 001 looks dramatically different than the vast majority of basketball sneakers on the market, and pictures don’t do it justice. Big shoutout to
at for giving us an exclusive look during the Converse pop-up at All-Star weekend here in the Bay Area back in February. Given his stats and undeniable impact on the Thunder (and Team Canada during the olympics) I think we should expect a lot more off the court fashion from him.Russell Westbrook - Denver Nuggets
For the avid NBA fan, there should be no surprise that Russell Westbrook made my list. For years he’s been known for his very eccentric style everywhere he goes. He started his own clothing line called Honor the Gift in 2016. I own several pieces and can’t recommend them enough. The brand is an ode to his upbringing in the inner city of Los Angeles and has seen massive success. You can find collections in popular retailers such as Nordstrom and Selfriges in London. Westbrook is listed on The Business of Fashion’s BOF 500 list, a group of global leaders who are making some of the biggest impacts on fashion today. He most recently styled the outfit for Georgia Amoore for her big WNBA Draft night a few weeks ago when she was selected as the #6 overall pick.
Kyle Kuzma - Milwaukee Bucks
Kyle has made some questionable fashion statements over the years, but arguably that’s what makes him so fun to talk about. Unfortunately this may be the only time we discuss his fashion in the context of the league. In a recent interview with Vogue, he noted that he won’t be participating in tunnel fits anymore. “The tunnel used to be a way to really express yourself, but now everything is so monetized and commercialized. People have stylists; people are buying clothes to wear once, or brands or sending clothes. Where’s the individuality in that? Or the creativeness? Everything’s out of whack.1” Kuz’s clothing line, Childhood Dreams, has partnered with Puma twice on collaboration capsules but as of now the brand seems to be on pause. Hopefully we’ll see more activity on this front in the offseason.
Jalen Green - Houston Rockets
Jalen is only in his fourth season in the league and is a clear leader on the Rockets. Last year he, along with several other NBA stars including Kevin Love, Kyle Kuzma, and Josh Hart, was selected to be brand ambassadors for David Yurman as part of their strategy to go deeper into sports marketing. As an Adidas athlete, he was included in their most recent campaign to promote their Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 collection. He’s also known for his nail art that while controversial, he proudly sports off and on the court.
LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
You didn’t think I was going to make this list and leave off the GOAT, did you? LeBron is in his 22nd season in the league and is still posting up better numbers than most of his 25 year old peers. He’s been deep in the fashion game for a while. Not too many athletes contract Thom Browne to create custom suits for the entire team like he did during the Cleveland Cavalier’s 2018 playoff run. Pharrell tapped him to be the face of the Louis Vuitton men’s Spring/Summer campaign last year but billboards had started popping up in late 2023. It’s not confirmed but I think that might be his favorite high fashion brand as he’s usually wearing at least one LV piece anytime he steps out the house. Outside of luxury, LeBron is also known for partnering with smaller brands like ILTHY, a Cleveland-based and community-focused clothing brand, where they created an entire line for Lebron’s Family Foundation and will donate part of the proceeds directly to them.
Vogue; Kyle Kuzma Is Retiring His Tunnel Looks