If you’re yet to have seen it, we’ve just launched “Top Tens”, our new show where local legends count down the top ten of basketball-related topics, presented by Adidas. You can expect a new episode weekly on Tuesdays, covering everything from the top ten ballers on the mic to the top ten hoop movies. For our inaugural episode, we’ve ranked the top NBA fashion icons. Check out the list below to see who made the list, and who came in at first place.
Taking 10th place is King James, who should get an award for ‘most improved since draft day’. We can all appreciate Lebron’s fashion progression over time, and one can never forget his infamous ‘suit shorts’.
Devin Booker takes 9th place, with his uncomplicated, subtly understated steeze. Booker is known for his preference for neutral tones when it comes to his style, donning the occasional statement piece. Booker’s sense of style is something that host and MC Beza relates to, “his style is more my style.”
Jaleen Green’s fashion sense makes anyone absorbed into his aura content and all the way zen. Green’s style is something that basketballer and influencer Kwabena Brefo grew up admiring: “I grew up watching his style…he embraces the short shorts, the graphic tees and all that…I’m definitely into all that.”
Shai’s drip is near the peak of the mountain—top tier at a minimum. “He’s in tune with the younger generations style…he’s someone I wanna dress like, if I could pull it off,” says Brefo.
Bol Bol’s Draft Day get up was one for the history books. “For his height…he goes pretty hard wearing all the spider drip,” says LILBUBBLEGUM. Titan Debirioun says, “man’s is hella long, so if you’re fly and you’re that long, I respect it, because it means you really care about [style].”
Kumza is 5th on our top ten list. Able to play both ends of the spectrum—he can be zero decibels chill in the best way, or deafeningly loud, in the best way. Rapper A. Girl is a fan of Kumza’s style, “I like when men in particular aren’t afraid to go out of the normalised boundaries of what guys should be wearing when it comes to fashion,” she says.
His Airness was the GOAT on court and off court. Whether it be double denim or his Barcelona Jordan brand get up, MJ was untouchable. Rapper 360 says, “Jordan’s fashion is iconic with the baggy suit pants with the suit shoes—just amazingly goofy but classic.” Titan Debirioun, however, is convinced that MJ’s oversized suit days were “the worst thing to ever happen to black culture.” A heavy allegation, if you ask us.
Coming in at number 3 is Russell Westbrook, whose fashion can be as hectic as his playing—making the rules up as he goes is one of his gifts. AFLW player Akec Makur Chuot can appreciate Westbrook’s style, “Westbrook does it really well, I love how he comes, and he’s himself,” she says. Jasmine Ambarwarti agrees, “I dig it, because I think it’s really easy these days to have stylist, dress as a hypebeast in expensive designer…I think you really have to know yourself and know your style to mix different elements from fashion—so yeah, I respect his style.”
AI changed how the game looked the moment he entered it. His imprint shook the league up—taking off court fashion from clean cut and business to comfortable and expressive. For Beza, Iverson is an icon. “He’s the one that really embraced music and Hip Hop, and helped bring that into the forefront of how we see the NBA now,” she says. For NZ rapper MELODOWNZ, “he’s the only dude that could probably rock an 8XL t-shirt and look cool…he just expresses himself, he doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him.”
It’s no surprise that Rodman is number one on our list. Even if you didn’t watch the NBA, you were still aware of Denis. Never one to fade away, Rodman still finds himself in the headlines 2 decades after he left the game. “This man was so bold…it was awesome. I love that because he authentically owned who he was,” says Akec Makur Chuot. 360 says “Denis Rodman obviously just has the most unique fashion sense. I like people who just don’t care, and they’ll wear whatever they want—I respect that so much.” Nobody else but Rodman could sit on the top of the top ten NBA fashion icons list.
