When it comes to styling a 6-foot-10 athlete, fit can often become the biggest challenge. Just ask Bobby Wesley, a personal stylist who counts Paolo Banchero among his celebrity clients.
Wesley worked with Banchero during the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend, where the Orlando Magic forward rocked a number of eye-catching looks for his Rising Star tunnel walk and a courtside ensemble for the Skills Challenge.
The stylist told Complex that custom tailoring was essential when finding the right fits for Banchero, who stands more than a foot taller than the average American male.
“Paolo is 6’10, so I’m automatically looking for pieces that are cut oversized,” Wesley told us. “So far, he’s loving a lot of Dior and Marni pieces. … My biggest challenge is finding shoes that can fit him. Custom tailoring is a must, because we will have to tailor down some of the oversized pieces to his body and Jordans of course!”
It was less than a year ago when Banchero inked a deal with Jordan Brand. The 20-year-old said he’s been rocking Jordans for years, and his favorite off-court models were the 1s and 3s.
“The 1s are classic, they go with everything regardless of the color way, and you can’t miss with the 3s either,” Banchero said. “On-court, my favorite pair is probably the Air Jordan 37 Low. Growing up I hooped in 13s. They’re comfortable to play in and have great on-court grip.”
Banchero wore the AJ 37 Lows during the NBA All-Star Rising Stars Game—a moment he described as a dream come true.
“I’ve dreamed of playing at All-Star Weekend and while the whole experience was great, the Rising Stars game was a special moment for me, even more so because my team won,” Paolo said.
Paolo Banchero’s Air Jordan 37 Lows for the NBA All-Star Rising Stars Game.
Check out some Banchero’s All-Star Weekend looks below, as well as our brief Q&A with Wesley.
How did you get into styling pro athletes?
There’s a great connection between music and sports. Many of the athletes today can relate to what some of my clients in hip-hop are wearing. Even Future, who is constantly setting trends in our culture—who actually gave me my first shot in doing this whole thing of curating moments in hip-hop—and Roddy Ricch, who my team and I work on to transform his image to match some of the great music that he creates. So naturally, some of the guys would ask to work with me because I work with some of the guys they know to vibe with.
The NBA tunnel has so many people paying attention to it these days. Does that make your job easier or harder? Why?
The guys play in uniform and the fans only see how great these guys are on the court. Having the fans see how these guys dress for a small time in that tunnel is a big deal! “Not only do they play well, but they can dress well also!” This simple thought can boost their fanbase.
Favorite look you have styled Paolo in thus far? Why?
Thus far, I enjoyed his tunnel look for the Jordan Rising Stars game. We had planned for Paolo to wear the Marni sweater with a different look but at the last minute Paolo paired it with the Rick Owens pants and it came out great. It was cozy, and the pieces fit him well.
