The Most Stylish NBA Champions of All Time

NBA style, at one point, had gotten so awful that Commissioner David Stern enforced a league dress code, and since then, the players have stepped their game up—fueling an ongoing style war. Turns out, those who have reached the league's highest peak, winning an NBA championship, have been some of the best dressed off the court.

Nearly every decade has brought players who want to look great in a suit-and-tie, but more interesting is what NBA players do outside when they aren't getting dressed up. Some players receive their gear through awesome endorsements, some have influential stylists, others have developed a taste for the finer things in life, including high fashion wears. The NBA's most stylish players to win a ring are a more diverse bunch than you would assume. There's even a tie-dye-enthused hippie in the mix. We've dug through images of the freshest ballers today, and some throwbacks who've won their share of rings; here are The Most Stylish NBA Champions of All Time.

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Championship seasons: 2004
Signature style: Throwback jerseys, Nike Air Force Ones, and a WWE Heavyweight Champion belt.

Rasheed Wallace is a character; a tossback to the '70s and '80s. He doesn't wear any of the cool suits or other lounge gear like the ballers before him, but he laced up Nike Air Force Ones and had a similar attitude and approach to the game. The best thing, style wise, that 'Sheed might have done was after the Pistons beat the Lakers in 2004, he went out and purchased WWE Heavyweight Championship belts for everyone on his team. He also wore cool throwback jerseys, too. Combine all these elements with a mean low-post game that featured a signature high release, and you have one of the most stylish players ever to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Championship seasons: 2011
Signature style: Finding his way around the fashion world; making tailored clothing work for a big frame.

In 2011, when Tyson Chandler and the Dallas Mavericks shocked the world and beat LeBron James and the Miami Heat, the center was still awhile away from hitting his sartorial stride that he would find only a year later, but he still offered glimpses into his stylish nature. It's tough to be a tall dude and not have your proportions look off, but Chandler was able to mix casual and formal suiting options and come out on top. Brandon Haywood getting injured in 2011 could have been the best thing that happened to Chandler; he received the bulk of the playing time, boosted his status, and found a home in New York City, where he was able to experiment with his style, and become one of the most stylish NBA players in the league.

But what seperates him from the other guys right now? A piece of jewelry.

Championship seasons: 1985, 1987, 1988
Signature style: Sporting New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow a path; Dressing like a dude from North Carolina.

James Worthy wasn't the most exciting player to watch on a day-in-day-out basis, but he was clutch and put in quality minutes when it was most needed. With that description, is it any shocker that he signed a deal to endorse arguably the best sneaker company, New Balance?

Starting right after he captured his '88 championship, Worthy, who played for the rival Los Angeles Lakers, was picked up by the Boston-based brand and was featured in some of the decades best advertisements. Even wearing a double-breasted suit and posing in a lawyer's office. In a weird twist of fate, he would need that lawyer, as Worthy was busted in '90 with a prostitute—effectively ending his endorsement with the brand.

But that one year brought not only some of the freshest basketball sneakers of '80s remomarable style moments, too.

Championship seasons: 2012, 2013
Signature style: Italian menswear; extra, extra-tall.

There are people who will tell you Chris Bosh can't be stylish, he looks like a dinosaur, and they're right and wrong. Sure, the jokes about Bosh's long neck, small face, and propensity to make suspect gestures have long surfaced since before he joined the Miami Heat, but it's not a prerequisite to be attractive to dress well. It helps, but it's not necessary.

Bosh's great-fitting suits and appropriately-picked accouterments make all the difference in distracting from his lesser features. Plus, check out that double-breasted suit; he pulls off a red window pane jacket in a way that Craig Sager could only dream.

Championship seasons: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998
Signature style: Now-vintage gear that sneakerheads and '90s basketball fans would love to get their hands on—or have Nike re-issue.

Michael Jordan isn't the best dresser at the moment, but back in his trophy-hosting days, he was the freshest on the block. There's a reason sneakerheads flock to Jordan's kicks other than the fact he was killing it on the court. He also lived up to '90s style that we all get nostalgic for. Jordan was dripping head-to-toe in Nike apparel, but even when he stepped away from the game for the first time in '93, he looked dapper in a light-grey suit. Still, when you have the flyest sneakers strapped on your feet, it's hard to look non-stylish.

Championship seasons: 1989, 1990
Signature style: A heavy fur; throwback sports gear and fresh ASICS sneakers.

"Place on the map where Isiah beat Magic," Chuck Inglish rapped on The Cool Kids track "Pennies." It wasn't just Isiah Thomas' hard-nosed play that won him fans and enemies, he also rocked a heavy fur coat on several occasions, which, like his attitude, is one of the most polarizing pieces of outerwear a person can don. Thomas also wore fresh ASICS sneakers. It might not have been until recent times that ASICS, thanks to amazing collaborations, received the respect it deserved, but in retrospect, Thomas made the joints look awesome.

Also, it's hard not to look cool when you're wearing now-vintage sports gear. You can't go wrong with a snapback cap and cool windbreaker.

Championship seasons: 2006, 2012, 2013
Signature style: Unafraid to take risks; tailored and high-end clothing.

Yes, Dwyane Wade won a championship in 2006; he was even Finals MVP. But let's forget about that for second. Unless, you're a fan of Steve Harvey suits, the shooting guard's style in 2012 was much improved over his rookie-year swagger. Sure, Wade still wore suits, but this time they were much slimmed down. There will still some gaffs along the way: glasses with no lenses, or even wearing the glasses with the flip-up pair of sun-lenses, but there was enough good with Wade's wardrobe—even scoring himself a GQ photoshoot—to vaunt him in the ranks of most stylish NBA champions. And he hasn't stopped, his 2013 self is even better.

Championship seasons: 1977, 1986
Signature style: Dead head; Pacific Northwest Americana Enthusiast; Ivy League menswear.

Even the NBA, a meeting place for street culture and the roots of hip-hop, couldn't escape the hippy mentality and lifestyle—courtesy of Bill Walton, one of the league's most eccentric players ever to capture a ring. Walton went from impeccable dominance at UCLA with coach John Wooden, to winning titles with the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics in two phases of his career. He was the guy on the court with a raging red beard and bandanna, and in his off-time you could find the center in a Grateful Dead T-shirt, a shearling coat, and clothing today that might get confused for White Mountaineering or Engineered Garments.

Surprisingly, in an age of an ant-suit mentality, Walton knew how to clean up and dress like an Ivy League student or at least someone on Madison Avenue. Which is even more impressive for someone who is pushing seven-feet-tall. Throw on "Uncle John's Band" and dig Walton's style.

Championship seasons: 2012, 2013
Signature style: Bespoke suits built for tailor-challenging frame; still breaking out his Nike sneakers.

LeBron James finally did it—he won his second NBA championship. The haters still deny it, everyone else got to see a super stylish person capture glory two times over the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. Hairline jokes aside, James' #menswear game is rather official, and it's tough for someone of his stature to look good in a tailored garment. However, he's able to pull it off. And things only got better in 2013, wearing double-breasted suits and sweaters from Staple, James' style became all-encompassing on his road to back-to-back championships.

Championship seasons: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969
Signature style: Suit-and-tie; mewelry before it was a trend—wearing rings, that is.

Bill Russell is the single most dominant player in the NBA's history. Detractors might say that it was a different era of basketball, and Russell's 6'11 frame gave him an unfair advantage at the time over the competition, but he was a bigman who ran the floor and provided a never-before-seen defensive intensity. With that said, he also held his own with other stylish folks at the time like Lew Alcindor and Muhammad Ali. But when it comes down to it, rings themselves are a piece of fashion, and when you have more of them than you can put on fingers, you automatically win the accessories game.

Championship seasons: 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988
Signature style: Dapper suits; a heavy fur; living the L.A. life.

Magic Johnson is the most versatile player ever to step on an NBA court, effectively playing positions one through five with ease. But did you know that the career-long Los Angeles Laker was equally-diverse in the way he dressed? From sporting a fur coat and having a proper suit-and-time game, to even donning a pair of shades and goofing off with Jack Nicholson, Johnson showed an undeniable spirit and presence that would win him fans—even when announcing that he was HIV positive. These days, you'll see Magic in a suit-and-tie giving his insight into the league he helped transform, but we're wishing that he'd break the fur out just one more time.

Championship seasons: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010
Signature style: A true professional; suit-and-tie; he lets his game do the talking.

Will Kobe Bryant ever capture the elusive sixth NBA championship? After this year's Achilles tear, there are definitely doubters. Still, in his run to win five different rings—with and without Shaquille O'Neal—Bryant has been one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA. Although, there's one thing that's for sure: He certainly knows how to dress. The shooting guard's love for the suit-and-tie has made him an editorial favorite, grabbing spreads with GQ, L'Uomo Vogue, and Complex in 2009. That's all great, but check his patched-up back-to-back championship leather jacket in 2001; do you think the young baller knew he'd be a style icon to guys a decade later?

Championship seasons: 1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988
Signature style: Clothes with religious implications; being stylish when hitting the big screen.

From Lew Alcindor to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the sky-hooking center rode the wave of the early '70s through the late '80s, picking up championships left and right. Although he only won a single ring with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971 with the help of Oscar Robertson, it was clear that Alcindor (at the time), although over seven-feet tall, knew the right clothes to wear. Then he converted to Islam and stepped up his personal style, wearing '70s-appropriate and religious clothing pieces. But his style wouldn't stop there, through the '80s, Jabbar infused both ends of the stylish spectrum and continued to look fly. Even looking cool the in the comedic film Airplane.

Championship seasons: 1967, 1972
Signature style: Playboy status

Wilt Chamberlain once scored 100 points in a game and, allegedly, bedded over 20,000 females. The man could get buckets, and it's easy to see why. Chamberlain was as smooth off the court as he was a force on it. Unfortunately, due to having to bang against Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics, Chamberlain didn't get as many rings as he maybe should have, but fully lived up the '60s and '70s and the decades' experimental joy. He was always having a good time and dressing for the occasion. If Chamberlain wasn't wearing a leisurely suit, he was dressing like the cliches of the day, and that's fine—when you score 100 points, you make your own rules.

Championship seasons: 1970, 1973
Signature style: A real life version of Super Fly; suits, hats, and topcoats draping over his shoulders.

Walt "Clyde" Frazier's aura will never be reproduced. As stylish as the NBA has become, no one can touch the authenticity and pimp-like mystique that transcended his extra bounce and flair on the court. Frazier became tied to the image of a man with a Borsalino hat, double-breasted topcoat, mutton-chopped beard, flowing suit-and-tie, and becoming the real life personification of John Shaft.

Also, don't forget Clyde's contribution to the sneaker world: the Puma sneaker that bares his namesake. All around, Frazier's performance on the court and in the style arena has given New Yorkers (and fans of basketball) something to remember far beyond his playing days.