Issue 85: Ooh, Those Are Some Nice Threads!

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As you may have seen, the NBA playoffs officially kicked off over the weekend. We had a wild set of play-in games followed by a wild set of first-round games, and there should be plenty more to come.

Just as important as how you look on the court is how you look off of it. The playoffs are a special time to shine in the fashion department. Every game is nationally televised, often on a channel like ABC that even people who don’t have extensive cable packages can watch.

And of course, since social media usage has continued to spike in the year-plus following the pandemic, we’ve got plenty of keyboardists keeping our style game on high alert.

So, on the heels of the NBA announcing a partnership with Fortnite to create outfits for all 30 teams, here are some of the finest playoff looks the league has produced.

The Entire Boston Celtics Roster

Okay, this title may be a bit of a misnomer. It’s not the entire team, but plenty of Celtics headed to their first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets looking FLY. Also, you may have to click through to the entire tweet here to see everyone I’m talking about.

Kemba Walker (at the top left of the photo) is fairly subdued, with a leather jacket and stylish red cap. You’d need to stop Marcus Smart for about eight minutes to read everything his shirt’s saying on the bottom left. And Tristan Thompson is rocking something I’m pretty sure I’ve worn before, though I do appreciate the boldness of a floral pattern at the bottom of his pants.

My favorite, though, is Jayson Tatum in the top right. He’s walking with the swagger of both someone who could drop 50 points in a given night and a man ready to tackle his sixth shrimp buffet on a cruise.

With the kind of season he’s had, both are entirely within reach.

Patrick Patterson and P.J. Tucker = Twinsies

Currently, Patrick Patterson is on the Los Angeles Clippers and P.J. Tucker is on the Milwaukee Bucks. But back in 2017, they were on the same team: the Toronto Raptors.

And as luck would have it, they both decided to wear the same outfit before the team’s Game 4 playoff matchup against the Bucks.

These weren’t just a white tee and a pair of sweats, though. Patterson and Tucker both donned an $800 Saint Laurent sweater that was in Raptors colors and featured a cute, vicious dinosaur across the chest. They also featured $700 Amiri Jeans and YSL Shoes for $550.

Put it all together and that’s more than two grand to coordinate with your teammate. Truly impressive stuff.

Russell Westbrook All the Time

Russell Westbrook and bold fashion choices go together like peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, or pickle juice and BBQ (don’t knock it until you try it!).

In fact, he’s had so many delightful styles it’s hard to pick just one. So, in that case, let’s showcase six of his finest.

I think my personal favorite is the bottom right, though the all-black ensemble with the brighter-than-a-basketball orange shoes in the top right is also quite stylin’.

Russell Westbrook Fashion

Robin Lopez Being Very Tall

I’m 6’2” and sometimes struggle to find clothes (especially shoes) that fit well. I can’t imagine being almost a foot taller and having to do it.

Robin Lopez was able to find an outfit that works, and I like that he’s carrying his own shoes like a respectable traveler.

Of course, if Lopez didn’t have those sneakers in his hand, this photo could very well be him about to perform with Mumford and Sons instead of playing a basketball game. That’s some solid versatility.

Robin Lopez walking to locker room before a game.

Michael Jordan and Kenny Lattimore

Last year, The Last Dance documentary gave us a look at Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls. Sure, it was thinly veiled Jordan propaganda, but coming at a time when sports were put on hiatus because of the pandemic? It was the most magical thing ever.

In short, the documentary was a master class in marketing.

It also gave us plenty of memes. There’s Jordan laughing hysterically at Gary Payton claiming he could have shut him down in the 1996 Finals. There’s Jordan explaining many things that he took personally.

But there’s one moment that didn’t get nearly as much attention—and that came on the bus before a game during Jordan’s final playoff run.

Jordan’s outfit here isn’t anything over the top. He’s in a sleeveless tee with a practice jersey on, and I assume shorts or tearaway pants.

But I had to include it because of how excited he is to listen to Kenny Lattimore. If you are also like me and weren’t too familiar with Mr. Lattimore’s music, I can assure you it is not the type of thing you’d expect to listen to before a game to pump yourself up.

Other Reads and Watches

Michelle Kaufman: What it’s like to be a virtual fan during the playoffs (this is a throwback article but I still love it)

Chris Bosh shares his favorite books and writers

Jenn Hatfield: Joanne P. McCallie is a trailblazer for mental health

Vincent Goodwill: Trae Young could be a Knicks killer and the villain the NBA needs

That’s all ’til next time. Thanks for reading!

Joey

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