CAMERAS LINED THE participant’s entrance to Paycom Area, bursting with flashes as Indiana’s star guard made his anticipated arrival to Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals.
Tyrese Haliburton wore an off-white Carhartt button-down jacket, white pants, black sneakers and sun shades. Haliburton’s accent of alternative for the largest recreation of his life? His debut signature sneakers, the Puma Hali 1, designed by Salehe Bembury in a hibiscus colorway.
Almost an hour later, the hallway lit up once more because the league MVP made his minute-long stride to the locker room. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder famous person Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked in with mild blue-tinted sun shades, carrying a snug grey shirt jacket and his “Masi Blue” SHAI 001 Converses in honor of his youthful brother, Thomasi.
The MVP’s assertion piece? A Chanel cross-body bag, enhanced by a pearl-detailed strap and complemented by one other, smaller cross-body mini bag.
“Shai’s been doing it since he got here to the league,” Haliburton advised ESPN about his Thunder counterpart. “He’s type of just like the undisputed king of [NBA fashion].”
Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton aren’t simply two star level guards who’ve pushed the Thunder and Pacers to a 2-2 tie within the NBA Finals, they’re additionally two of the league’s most trendy gamers, recognized for his or her distinctive types and designer outfits which are simply as versatile as their video games.
Whereas each level guards are laser-focused on profitable their first championship, for themselves and their groups, Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton are among the many gamers who’ve introduced a high fashion really feel to this small-market NBA Finals showdown.
Within the metropolis the place Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka used to strut their most interesting matches, Gilgeous-Alexander — together with teammates corresponding to Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren — has Oklahoma Metropolis again because the NBA’s vogue capital. And for Haliburton, conscious about this second, he’s utilizing this Finals to show doubters unsuitable and switch heads together with his clutch recreation and his vogue type.
“OKC is a legendary tunnel with Russ and what Shai’s doing,” Haliburton advised ESPN final week on the eve of Recreation 1.
“OKC is unquestionably one in every of everyone’s favourite tunnels.”
WESTBROOK USED TO roam this identical tunnel carrying something and every part from a COOGI crewneck to Saint Laurent boots.
It appeared as if he would go to any size for vogue — even when it meant ripping holes into denims and stitching items, typically bought off the rack.
“My mother used to stitch, so I used to look at,” Westbrook advised ESPN in the course of the 2023-24 season. “So if I rip one thing, if I lower it like I lower my denims, I lower it up myself within the room.
“I can sew it by hand [with a needle]. I ain’t completed it shortly, however I can even [sew] it by machine as nicely, too.”
Gilgeous-Alexander — the primary Thunder level guard to guide Oklahoma Metropolis to the Finals since Westbrook’s 2012 group — carries the present NBA’s unofficial vogue crown.
“Shai is acknowledged fairly extensively because the reigning king of NBA type,” stated Wall Avenue Journal reporter Sam Schube, previously GQ’s sports activities director. “He is the man who’s actually picked up the mantle from LeBron [James], Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade and Russ. He is the subsequent dude. … Shai’s type of his personal world. It does not actually really feel like he is taking part in the identical recreation as everyone else.
“I do not know the way a lot Chanel you are seeing within the NBA tunnel. That simply tells you that that man is aware of precisely what he needs to put on and feels nice about doing it … to take a very basic fancy French woman ladies’s put on model and twist it as an NBA participant is like, ‘Ooh yeah.’ You are feeling good about your self.”
Gilgeous-Alexander is within the midst of a legendary season. He is received the regular-season scoring title, MVP, the Western Convention Finals MVP and is working towards a attainable Finals MVP.
Westbrook, who received league MVP with the Thunder within the 2016-2017 season, is thought to assist outfit his teammates by taking them procuring, shopping for fits or garments for them and passing on type ideas. Now with the Denver Nuggets, Westbrook has stored a few of his extra memorable outfits, from previous Met Galas to his wedding ceremony and draft evening fits.
Lately, he wears principally his personal vogue model, Honor The Reward. The 17-year veteran dons a distinct outfit to each recreation after which provides his garments to both associates, college students at his Westbrook Academy or charity.
“I educate them vogue, however being reasonably priced,” Westbrook stated of his procuring excursions with teammates. “I am not large on having younger guys go to [Louis] Vuitton and [Christian] Dior and spending $2,000 on stuff. I am large on thrift procuring. That is how I used to be introduced up. My mother was the one which taught and helped me perceive about having the ability to have what you might have but in addition trying good with what you might have. And that is why I used to be capable of create my very own model.”
Now, OKC has one other MVP making waves within the vogue world. At 26, Gilgeous-Alexander walked the runway in Thom Browne’s present at Paris Males’s Trend Week in 2022. He’s a former GQ Most Fashionable Man of the Yr and is Converse Basketball’s inventive director.
“The European Trend Week journey has develop into type of a field to examine for those who’re a professional athlete,” Schube stated. “But it surely’s laborious to recollect guys strolling in a Thom Browne present exterior of Shai. He seems to have actual relationships with a few of these designers and type of research the craft because it have been in a manner that a few of his friends do not.”
It is no marvel it took him about 40 minutes to assemble “eight to 9 outfits” earlier than the Finals in case the championship sequence goes the space with various choices.
“Earlier than each sequence, I plan out my outfits for certain,” Gilgeous-Alexander advised ESPN. “I do not know for those who’ve observed, however each spherical I’ve debuted a brand new colorway of my [Converse] shoe. Spherical 1, all of the outfits have been centered across the grey sneakers. After which Spherical 2, they have been centered across the black sneakers. Spherical 3, the clay sneakers. And this spherical could be the blue sneakers.”
LIKE WHEN WESTBROOK, Harden and Ibaka turned Oklahoma Metropolis’s pregames right into a modeling runway, Gilgeous-Alexander is not the one fashion-conscious Thunder participant. Williams, Holmgren and Lu Dort, all key performers on the second-youngest group to succeed in the NBA Finals, have additionally expressed themselves by means of their pregame vogue.
Williams is particularly not shy to trigger a commotion, as soon as carrying an all-black headpiece that lined his whole head with three cushioned rows throughout his face.
He was fined $25,000 by the NBA for carrying clothes with profane language on it in his second-round Recreation 7 postgame media session.
“I say my type proper now, it is dishevelled,” Williams advised ESPN. “But it surely’s additionally simply me, no matter I am feeling. So if I am feeling lazy, I am not afraid to put on pajamas. I am not afraid to be snug.”
For Recreation 1 of the Finals, Williams, 24, went with a classic relaxed look with a 90’s really feel, sporting a black and pink zip-up hoodie jacket with a hat, a graphic T-shirt that includes Michael Jackson off the “Harmful” album cowl, dishevelled denims and a “Pinky and the Mind” soft-sided lunch bag.
“This is sort of a basic Gen Z cool child outfit,” Schube stated. “Large sneakers, large denims, little shirt after which a trucker hat that appears like perhaps you can have gotten it at a fuel station, however I am certain it prices a thousand {dollars}. And is he carrying a lunch field? This might not be extra of a Gen Z outfit.”
Holmgren, 23, additionally values consolation, calling his type “informal however stylish” whereas additionally carrying no matter he feels assured in. For Recreation 1, he wore a black hoodie, sun shades and pants. He admits he and the MVP are in several vogue leagues.
“It is not a contest as a result of the finances is not the identical,” Holmgren advised ESPN of Gilgeous-Alexander, who signed a five-year, $172-million extension in 2021. “That is a harmful recreation to attempt to play. So I do not even attempt to play it.
“I have a look at them as vogue professionals,” Holmgren stated of Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams. “And I am extra of a vogue hobbyist.”
Williams admits he isn’t on the MVP’s stage, both. Gilgeous-Alexander took Williams procuring in New York in the course of the ahead’s rookie season in 2022-23. Williams noticed firsthand the style connections Gilgeous-Alexander had as the 2 teammates shopped at designer shops that Williams could not afford again then. Williams principally watched Gilgeous-Alexander store that day.
“The primary time, it wasn’t that enjoyable,” Williams stated of that procuring expertise with Gilgeous-Alexander.
“I simply have extra money now so I can type of sustain.”
Williams stated it by no means will get aggressive between Thunder teammates on the subject of who has one of the best outfits. The best way the MVP sees it, he is doling out vogue assists to his teammates.
“It does not actually get aggressive,” Gilgeous-Alexander advised ESPN as politely as he may when requested if there are any vogue battles. “I do not wish to sound like … they’re like, these are my children by way of vogue. I confirmed them what to do and what to not do.”
It is why Oklahoma Metropolis is as soon as once more the style epicenter of the NBA.
“You don’t consider Oklahoma Metropolis as essentially the most modern place on Earth,” Schube stated. “And but there’s one thing within the water there. They are a small market. [GM] Sam Presti, who constructed each of these groups, is clearly a man who is aware of how one can be inventive and versatile on the subject of constructing a roster. And which means discovering younger gamers and empowering them.
“And so that you get these younger dudes who’re simply completely dripping and it occurs to be in Oklahoma Metropolis.”
BEFORE GAME 6 of the Japanese Convention finals, Haliburton walked into Gainbridge Fieldhouse trying like he was dressed for a funeral. Because the Pacers have been poised to shut out the New York Knicks, Haliburton arrived in a pointy all-black outfit with sun shades whereas carrying a black duffle bag.
Ben Stiller, actor and die-hard Knicks fan, reposted a video of Haliburton’s stroll with some trash discuss.
“Good factor he introduced his duffel for the flight to NY,” Stiller wrote on X, hoping the Knicks would drive a Recreation 7.
Haliburton eradicated the Knicks with 21 factors and 13 assists within the 125-108 Pacers’ win, and the purpose guard gave Stiller — who spoofed male supermodels in his comedy “Zoolander” — an ideal response.
“Nah, was to pack y’all up,” Haliburton wrote again on X.
The Pacers level guard is a large wrestling fan and lives to return off the highest rope together with his vogue ensembles. He is cognizant of how some enviornment tunnels are extra high-profile than others, like Madison Sq. Backyard’s ramp. As Schube factors out, Haliburton appears to be “conscious of how that is all going to play on social media” and “of the narrative and theatrics of all of it.”
“Good type,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated of Haliburton. “Above all, he wears it. He embraces his type and does not care what anybody else thinks. He simply wears it. And that is all you possibly can actually do is, ‘I will go in my closet and have my eight outfits that I feel are fireplace’… all you are able to do is belief your really feel and put on it with confidence.”
Haliburton, 25, is used to listening to the great and the dangerous on social media about his type selections. Whether or not it is going for a “Peaky Blinders” look or carrying a Prada trench coat that drew comparisons to Inspector Gadget on-line, Haliburton will stir it up.
“He does not have one lane he simply sticks to,” stated Pacers teammate Myles Turner, who is also into vogue with a self-described “preppy Western” look. “No matter he feels, he’ll throw it on and it is a dialog starter piece for certain.
“He is daring, however so is his persona.”
On the 2024 All-Star Recreation, Haliburton wore a protracted double-breasted Prada runway jacket that had shaggy blue fur round each of his biceps and his knees. Some on-line likened the blue fur to the Cookie Monster.
“I feel folks simply all the time struggle issues that they have not seen earlier than or everyone simply needs to slot in,” Haliburton advised ESPN. “This can be a world the place for those who attempt one thing totally different, everyone’s going to say one thing about it. I do not gown like anyone else and I am OK with that.
“I feel there’s lots of people which are actually within the vogue world that will inform you that I gown very nicely and I imagine I do. However for some individuals who actually do not know something about vogue, it could be like he clothes horrible. I simply do what I wish to do on the finish of the day. I am not right here to please anyone.”
Haliburton chooses a sensible method together with his outfits. Whereas he likes to face out in Comme des Garcons, Prada and The Row, Haliburton retains plenty of items in rotation. He stated he can put on 10 to fifteen of the identical pairs of sneakers and rewear pants or a black button-up a number of occasions as layering items.
“I imply, we received cash, however garments are costly, bro,” stated Haliburton, who tries to remain grounded even after signing a five-year extension value as much as $260 million in 2023. “That is why I attempt to not get too many tremendous loud items that you can see I wore once more.”
With regards to these flashy items, Haliburton will generally promote them on Grailed, a web-based resale market, with an nameless account or give them to Olivier Rogers, his vogue stylist, to promote on websites like The RealReal.
“I’ve secret accounts on websites the place you possibly can resell garments,” Haliburton stated. “Even when I do not get all the cash again … say if I purchased a jacket for 5 grand and I get three grand again, that is higher than getting nothing and it is sitting in my closet.
“Once I first got here to [the NBA], it bothered me a lot. I might spend all this cash on a colourful pair of denims and a classic T-shirt. And as soon as I put on it as soon as and put up it on my Instagram, I can not put on it once more.”
As Haliburton appears to stun the Thunder once more in Monday’s Recreation 5 like he did in Recreation 1 together with his game-winning shot, the Indiana star returns to the Paycom Heart hoping to recreate the magic of that evening, which began with honoring the requirements of bringing warmth to the OKC hallway.
One factor seemingly not on the market are the Hali 1’s he wore in Recreation 1. After he hit some of the clutch pictures in Finals historical past to finish the Pacers’ comeback win, Haliburton positioned his signature Pumas subsequent to the microphone for his postgame information convention.
“The key sauce right now was these,” Haliburton stated as he pointed to his sneakers after serving to erase a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Later, he would put up on X the right mic drop — repeating some of the iconic strains in NBA vogue historical past and an homage to Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon.
“It is gotta be the shooooeeesss,” Haliburton wrote.
