The future of basketball arrived at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Wednesday night dressed in Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, among others. The towering, baby-faced athletes were dressed in their finest for the night of their lives: the NBA Draft.
Their arrival at the draft was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. On draft night, the young men were finally able to show themselves as who they had always aspired to be. While a handful of players hired stylists to dress them, most chose their own outfits, from their jewelry to their nail polish, trying to show off their personalities.
The NBA draft is historically a night of surprises, from team picks and sudden trades to unconventional player attire. It’s a night of suits, watches, jewelry, discreet messages sewn into jacket linings and sequins. This is a rookie’s chance to make a statement before stepping onto an NBA court for the first time.
Zaccharie Risacher
Drafted No. 1 by the Atlanta Hawks
Risacher, 19, wore a light gray Armani seersucker suit with a white shirt and white Nike Air Force Ones. His prerogative to spend the night? Comfort.
“I picked out all the pieces in the set and it was fun to do,” said Mr. Risacher, who is from Lyon, France. “It was the first part of the NBA draft night process. “I feel ready to be recruited.”
Alex Sarr
Selected No. 2 by the Washington Wizards
Sarr, 19, arrived in a cream Versace double-breasted suit with gem buttons and a matching shirt.
“I think it’s classy and I think I’m a classy guy,” he said before his red carpet appearance. “It suits my energy for the night. I don’t really know what kind of energy cream it has, but I guess it’s my energy. I can’t wait to see where I end up. It’s the NBA draft, it’s important.”
Reed shepherd
Selected No. 3 by the Houston Rockets
Another player who kept things simple was Sheppard, 20, who wore a sage green State & Liberty suit paired with a Gucci tie and brown Christian Louboutin shoes.
“This suit speaks to me,” Sheppard said. “It’s just simple. Is it clean. It does not have anything special. “It’s just a nice, simple, clean suit.”
Stephan’s Castle
Selected at number 4 by the San Antonio Spurs
Castle, 19, brought his surname to life with a sparkling diamond chain and castle-shaped pendant. He wore a double-breasted black suit with a white speckled effect, which he said was created by his friend Julian.
“It definitely gives you a lot of confidence,” Castle said. “If you walk around in a good outfit, then you have a little bit of confidence. This is helping me a little bit.”
Rob Dillingham
Selected No. 8 by the San Antonio Spurs (traded to Minnesota)
Mr Dillingham, 19, wore a dazzling black Seventh Heaven suit and Converse Chrome Heart sneakers and glasses.
“This is the beginning of my dreams,” Dillingham said. “I wasn’t even thinking about the draft today, then when it came time, I just got ready. I don’t think about the game, I just get into the game.”
Rum Holland
Selected No. 5 by the Detroit Pistons
Mr Holland, 18, asked his sister, Taorani, for help and she “made a lot of the decisions”. He arrived in a black Versace suit with sequins on the shoulders. He appeared to be covered in diamonds. He wore a necklace with a large atom-shaped medallion that had special meaning for him.
“It’s a piece of energy,” she said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I have to step up. It defines the energy. Without the middle piece, the core, none of this works properly. I feel like it’s definitely me.”
Carlton Carrington
Selected No. 14 by the Portland Trail Blazers (traded to Washington)
Carrington, 18, known to many as Bub, wore an all-black Dior suit and shirt. He pinned a green ribbon pin to raise awareness of mental illness on the lapel of his suit.
“You can’t do anything if your mind is not right, so that’s something we always have to focus on,” he said.
“Staying focused on what’s happening today is definitely 50 percent of the reason I kept it simple,” he added. “The other reason is I feel like what you wear on draft day is kind of a representation of yourself. I’m a pretty simple guy, so I just want to wear a simple black suit.”
Kyle Filipowski
Selected 32nd overall by Utah Jazz
Mr. Filipowski, 20, had photos of himself wearing his Duke University jersey on the lining of his forest green suit, which was made by Nota Bene.
“They helped bring my vision to life,” Filipowski said. “They’re a little bit more elegant, but not too basic or too flashy. It’s very me. I’ve never really expressed myself with fashion before. This is one of the first times I’ve done it, and I actually love it. I feel very comfortable. I don’t feel weird at all.”
Devin Carter
Selected No. 13 by the Sacramento Kings
Carter, 22, wanted to stay true to his hometown of West Palm Beach, Florida. To do so, he wore a sky-blue double-breasted suit with no shirt. He accessorized with a pair of custom Cartier Chrome Hearts sunglasses and brown shoes. The look was put together by his stylist, he said.
“This represents me,” he said. “I’m a Florida boy.”
George Kyshawn
Drafted 24th overall by New York Knicks (traded to Washington)
George, 20, chose the fabrics used for his Alba-designed suit. He was wearing an open light beige jacket with matching pants and a cotton candy colored shirt on the outside. Around his neck, he danced a necklace of opals, which matched the various colors of his shirt. On his feet he wore Louis Vuitton sneakers. He wanted to keep it light, he said.
“I chose the fabrics,” she said. “I just felt good about it. “I liked the light textures and I feel comfortable.”
Donovan Clingan
Selected No. 7 by the Portland Trail Blazers
Clingan, 20, had the inside of his suit jacket decorated with family photographs.
“I just wanted to have on the inside of my jacket pictures of people who have helped me get to this point, people who have guided me,” he told reporters on the red carpet.
Matas Buzelis
Drafted 11th overall by the Chicago Bulls
Buzelis, 19, said her mother chose her Yves Saint Laurent pinstripe suit.
“I feel like a normal person,” he said. “Even though I’m in YSL, this is normal for me.”
Salaun de Tidjane
Selected No. 6 by the Charlotte Hornets
For Salaun, 18, the experience has not been normal at all. It was his first time in New York City and he felt small among the skyscrapers, he said. The Parisian wore a navy blue pinstriped suit, black tie and white shirt, a look he called “business class.”
“I’m excited to hear my name called and enjoy the moment,” he said.
Tristan da Silva
Selected No. 18 by the Orlando Magic
For da Silva, 23, who was wearing a red and black Alba suit to represent the German flag, it was the suit’s lining that was important. The light blue and white Bavarian flag lined the right side of his jacket, while the kelly green and yellow of the Brazilian flag lined the left side of his jacket.
“I feel like it’s important to know where you come from and represent that, I wouldn’t be here without that,” she said. “I think it’s important to let people know because I may not be the most vocal person about it. I’m trying to stay humble so I don’t go out and tell everyone how great I am, but I feel like I can show it. Let the suit speak for me.”
Cody Williams
Selected 10th overall by Utah Jazz
Mr. Williams, 19, was wearing a mahogany suit, glasses and shoes, all by Rhude.
“Look good, feel good, draw good,” she said as she buffed her freshly manicured nails on her jacket. “I have to make sure everything is in tip-top shape. I don’t really do a lot of manicures and pedicures. This is a first for me. They got the clear gel here so it looks natural. They did their thing. Maybe I’ll get another one after this.”
Johnny Furphy
Selected 35th overall by the San Antonio Spurs (traded to Indiana)
Furphy, 19, wanted to pay homage to his roots on the lining of his navy blue tuxedo. He did so by listing all the Australians who have played in the NBA, including himself, although he had to wait a day to be selected, having been chosen with the fifth pick of the second round.
“Australians are very proud of Australian basketball,” he said. “There are obviously not many Australians. “It’s great to be recognized and appreciate that I’m part of a small group.”
Ja’Kobe Walter
Drafted 19th overall by the Toronto Raptors
Walker, 19, wanted to send a message with his deep purple suit jacket.
“Royalty,” she said, her hair covering her eyes.
She paired the jacket with a black shirt, black pants and black Prada shoes and sunglasses.
“It’s crazy to be here, I’ve dreamed of this moment my whole life,” he said. “This is what I saw myself as in my dreams, fresh.”
Nikola Topic
Selected 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder
Many athletes focus on standing out. Topić, 18, did it in a burgundy Hugo Boss suit, white Golden Goose sneakers and an Audemars Piguet watch.
“I’m an easy person and Hugo Boss is the first suit I chose,” he said. “I want him to stand out in some way. I didn’t want to be black or blue, I also wanted some color. “This didn’t stand out too much.”
Jared McCain
Selected 16th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers
McCain, 20, wore a short, double-breasted suit by Dolce & Gabbana with a sparkling brooch on her lapel. Her nails were painted a shiny black.
“I had to paint my nails, I went for a simple style,” she said. “I would like to be able to name the team I’m on, but I have no idea.”
Dalton Knecht
Selected No. 17 by the Los Angeles Lakers
Knecht, 23, wanted the lining of his all-black Gucci suit to be a surprise until he was called on stage. This reporter managed to get a glimpse before he showed it off to KeynoteUSA: It was his Tennessee Volunteers jersey.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said before putting on Louis Vuitton sunglasses. “I’ll be wearing all black to keep it simple and just a couple of pieces to pop a little bit. I’m going to do my own fashion. I’d take a few pieces here and there. But I like to keep it about me. By Dalton.”
Yves Missi
Selected 21st overall by the New Orleans Pelicans
Missi, 20, felt a little uncomfortable when his friends described him as the king of Cameroon. The lining of his cerulean blue suit jacket, designed by Alba, encouraged his nickname. The outline of Cameroon was embossed on the buttons of the suit and used in a pattern on the lining of the jacket. A lion patch was also placed on the jacket.
“The lion is the animal of Cameroon,” he said. “I really love the way I look now. The color of the suit and everything.”
Isaiah Collier
Drafted 29th overall by Utah Jazz
Collier, 19, kept it simple. He wore an all-black Dolce & Gabbana suit with a single silk lapel and a dazzling brooch. His chain paid tribute to his brother, who had died.
“Ready to rock ‘n’ roll, that’s what I feel like,” he said.
Kel’el Items
Selected No. 15 by the Miami Heat
Ware, 20, wore an all-black Alba suit with black Gucci loafers. She paired the look with a Rolex watch and an iced-out pinky ring.
“Look good, feel good, especially for a big night,” he said. “Well, I’m more of a calm and relaxed guy. I didn’t want to go all out and do too much. I stayed original with that.”
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