Let’s move the spotlight from the runway and to the court. These NBA players have been bringing their A-game from the tunnel to the streets with their fits. The NBA has long been a respectable stage for fashion in more ways than one, not limiting its influence to just men or basketball fanatics.
In the NBA, “tunnel” isn’t just an ordinary word, it’s the vessel used by players (and their stylists) to showcase their outfits which has been sensationalized into one of fashion’s most influential menswear runways. Making their mark under the vigilant eye of style watchers, NBA players are making plays on and off the court with their trendsetting outfits, dressed in the latest streetwear heat (teaming up with fashion houses, like the LVxNBA Men’s collection by Virgil Abloh) or making headlines with head-turner choices (Russell Westbrook’s NYFW Thom Browne look). Nevertheless, they still start conversations and open opportunities to expand the depths of what fashion has in store for the future.
Now, check out these NBA superstar styles for your next fitspo:
Jordan Clarkson
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Jordan Clarkson seen making his exit in an all-black ensemble, embellished with Cherry Los Angeles track pants and an Adidas duffel.
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Clarkson dons Midnight Studios FW22 ‘CANDY DARLING’ Femme Tweed Coat and Trousers alongside beau, punk-pop songstress Maggie Lindemann during NYFW.
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‘Jordan Wazowski’ one comment wrote as Clarkson was seen in the tunnel with Monsters Inc. inspired footwear paired with his never-ending supply of sunglasses and Louis Vuitton monogrammed pants.
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Seen in a spread of pictures posted by Clarkson after a Jazz game, he brought one of 2022’s hottest and unexpected accessories, the Apple AirPods Max with some orange Nike x Off-White Dunk Lows.
There’s no shortage of fashion prowess here, the Filipino-American Point Guard/Shooting Guard from the Utah Jazz is by far one of the most creative dressers in the league. While stepping out in the hottest pieces of the season, Clarkson is definitely not afraid to play on the wilder side and expresses his fashion statements in furry shoes a la Monster’s Inc., and a full-on tweed look. And you can’t deny it when the man says so himself in a Complex interview, “Everybody got their own style. But I think I’m the best dressed for sure.”
D’Angelo Russell
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Russell pulled up in the Biofreeze Performance Center and trained in style with a two-piece brown ensemble and a pair of two-toned loafers; a classic D’Angelo non-sneaker moment.
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Russell dressed to the nines with Karl-Anthony Towns in a Robert Geller AW19 Moon Coat as one of the spectators in the 2019 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.
D’Angelo Russell may be known in the game as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Point Guard, but he’s also known for his non-sneaker shoe style in the fashion world. Sporting loafers to boots, Russell makes his mark on the league with his sleek and chic style, whether it’s walking through the tunnel or sitting courtside. Even if the Timberwolves player just “wings” his style, as mentioned in a GQ interview, it’s no denying he still soars high above the rest.
Steph Curry
What game is Steph really playing? Being the ‘Gold-Blooded’ Warriors Point Guard or NBA’s new courtside king? Since his recent shoulder injury, Curry currently isn’t able to sport his #30 jersey. Instead, he’s cheffin’ it up by bringing the courtside heat with his outfits, from the Celine boots to the Chrome Hearts jeans. Steph has now emerged in the league as the cool dad who shows up with three-pointers both on and off the court.
Kyle Kuzma
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Dubbed the #LeatherMan, Kyle Kuzma walks the tunnel on a game against the Milwaukee Bucks with a brown leather trench and a tan Birkin 40 to match.
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Love in the tunnel, Kuz matches with supermodel girlfriend Winnie Harlow in electric blue.
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Kuzma looking sophisticated in the Wizards’ home court with a Prada bucket hat and Rick Owens sneakers while showcasing his Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio scent as an Armani Beauty partner.
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The sweater that made its rounds on the internet is a bubblegum pink Raf Simmons piece that Kyle Kuzma institutionalized as his entry into the oversized club. And Kuz is 6’7” by the way.
Not a stranger to the fashion world with a supermodel girlfriend, the Washington Wizards player isn’t scared to step out and jump into the spotlight. His looks have been featured across multiple fashion accounts and hailed as an NBA style icon based on his ‘outrageous’ fits. But that’s not a shocker to Kuzma who shares in his InsideHook interview, “I don’t do things that other people do. I’ve never been a follower in my life.” From rocking a giant cotton candy pink sweater to another giant Birkin, he’s definitely making it out big time in fashion.
Russell Westbrook
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Never not turning heads, Westbrook arrives in a ‘business casual’ ensemble in State Farm Arena against the Atlanta Hawks.
Not just an integral part of one of the NBA’s most iconic teams who have won 16 championships, but also a part of League Fits’ Hall of Fame Class of 2020, Russell Westbrook makes bold choices with his style and never backs down from it. From his NYFW Thom Browne skirt that caused an uproar in social media and his undying love for his own label ‘Honor the Gift’, Westbrook continues to be a playmaker in both fashion and basketball, showing that you can have the cake and eat it too.
