"The Godfather" of the NBA + Favorite Looks From the 2024 Draft Pick
It has increasingly become more common for sports and clothing to clash in a manner that promotes the expansion of knowledge and interest in the world of fashion, plus entices me enough to cover a piece on sports at all. However, after watching the recent NBA draft on June 26th and 27th, and having preexistent knowledge of several players, I found it interesting to look into the stylistic choices some of these gentlemen made on perhaps one of the most important days of their lives.
“Dress for success” is a crucial sentiment to me and I was pleased to see how several young players took the time to curate unique and dapper outfits for the occasion. I especially took an interest in the draft this year because almost every player is around my age or my age, which prompted curiosity about what they would wear to an event like this.
Names like Bronny James and Jared McCain have dominated social media regarding the draft, but I wanted to take the time to look into other, lesser-known players who are worth mentioning in basketball and fashion.
Pat Riley - “The Godfather” of the NBA
Speaking of the combination of basketball and fashion, no one has tastefully paired these two objectives better than Pat Riley or “The Godfather” of the NBA. Riley is an extremely well-known figure in the NBA, with an extensive history as a player, coach, and executive. He played for the San Diego Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns (1967-1976), and served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers (1981-1990), the New York Knicks (1991-1995), and the Miami Heat (1995-2003 and 2005-2008). Riley is a nine-time NBA champion including wins as a player, coach, and executive.
While his skill in the sport is undeniable, his proclaimed sense of style is captivating, especially compared to the attire worn by most NBA coaches nowadays (Tom Thibodeau - I’m looking at you on this one).
During his time as a head coach for various teams, Riley appeared on the sidelines in perfectly tailored attire, shiny shoes, and an overall fresh appearance. His confidence combined with his sense of style created a persona that was so alluring, he was able to take the attention away from the game and onto himself.
To get into the specifics of his looks, Riley would wear multi-thousand dollar Giorgio Armani suits and custom-tailored pieces from Savile Row. Both of these brands were exclusive and quite popular at this time and gave off an unwavering sense of nonchalant style. A clean, crisp, fresh look that people everywhere wanted to imitate. During his time as the Lakers Head Coach, the city of Los Angeles, the Forum became the epicenter of style, as an influx of celebrities attended Lakers games to witness both the team and Riley in action. In a way, Pat Riley completed the image of the Lakers, he created a figure to turn to, to enjoy beyond the players on the team.
“It was his original vision: basketball as fun, basketball as glamorous, basketball as sexy.” - Jerry Buss - owner of the Los Angeles Lakers (1979-2013).
“When he stepped on the court as a coach, he became a different person: beautifully manicured, impeccably tailored, exuding the sterling professional confidence of a Wall Street investment banker or billionaire CEO.” - Style & Substance: The Legacy of Pat Riley’s Courtside Looks - Calum Marsh
Perhaps the most admirable component of Pat Riley was not only that he was easily the best-dressed figure in sports during this time, but he was also chalked up to be a pretty insane coach as well, he always got the job done, finishing his career as the 2nd greatest coach the Lakers, Heat, and Knicks ever had the pleasure of having.
The style, vibe, and skill were a deadly trio for Riley, making it too easy for him to prove that being good at something is great, but if you look good at the same time…you’re golden.
Favorite Looks from the 2024 Draft
A strong sense of personal style was present at this year’s draft, the red carpet was flooded with varying looks, some being favorited by me more than others. After watching the draft over again and fact-checking on the internet, here are my top looks from the draft - ranked with reason.
My fifth overall pick was Yves Missi (his name alone is super cool), who attended the event in Alba, dressed in a dark blue/navy suit and dress shirt, accessorized with a studded chain and sunglasses. Missi was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans after a 21st overall pick in the first round. A pretty successful night style and career-wise in my opinion.
Fourth overall was Cody Williams who showed up in Rhude, alongside his brother Jalen. Rhude is a newcomer in styling athletes for this occasion and I ended up really liking Williams’ look. His suit was unique compared to his peers and I like the addition of a brooch. Williams was the 10th overall pick and was drafted by the Utah Jazz.
Third overall was Jared McCain, a popular name in mainstream media. McCain was styled in Dolce and Gabbana, along with two silver brooches, other jewelry pieces, and black painted nails. I enjoyed his clean-cut look and the tasteful addition of accessories. He was welcomed to the Philadelphia 76ers after being the 16th overall pick.
My second overall pick was Rob Dillingham, who was styled in Seventh Heaven. His look stood out to me due to the crystallized bead embellishments on his suit jacket, and the sequined sleeve on the left of his suit. Dillingham was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was an 8th overall pick.
My very favorite look from the 2024 NBA draft was Ron Holland II who was styled in Versace. In true Versace fashion, Holland was in a sharp, bedazzled suit, accompanied by a large drop chain and silver bracelets. After finalizing his spot at the 5th overall pick, Holland is now a rookie for the Detroit Pistons.
Thank you for reading!
July 18th - Make Politics Fun Again? feat. Jack Schlossberg
- Lily
