Which NBA Star Matches Your Style?

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
7 min
Which NBA Star Matches Your Style?
Image: mediaphotos / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Athletes have rarely been natural fashion plates. The earliest athletes of them all, the ancient Greek Olympic athletes, trained and competed in the nude, so there wasn't much room for them to throw on a designer tunic. Even in this age when athletic clothing is the norm, some athletes have a physical makeup that makes it difficult for them to find clothing that fits, let alone clothing that fits and is fashionable. Of course, money helps. Some shoe companies cut off their size choices at US men's size 13, but if you make 15 million dollars a year from your contract to play in the NBA, and you appear on television several times a week and in the papers nearly every day, it's a lot easier to persuade clothiers to try making something in your size.

In their day, Wilt Chamberlain, Dr. J and Walt Frazier all wore tailored suits, but no one would say their choices would dictate fashion for men the world over. The 1990s saw a dark age for much of men's fashion, with suits that couldn't decide on which decade they belonged — beige, beige, and beige. And then there was the rebel: Dennis Rodman. Sure, few would want to imitate his style, but it was a breath of fresh air. Pretty soon, other players began to experiment with style, and then the pro stylists descended on the NBA. Nothing would ever be the same again. Where do you fit in the style pantheon of the NBA? Take this quiz and find out!

NBA Style 10
Raphye Alexius / Image Source / Getty Images
Who do you look to impress with your style?
Everyone!
My significant other
My mother
No one!

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NBA Style 9
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How would you coordinate a pocket square with a tie?
The tie should be a different pattern from the pocket square.
I'd want them to be wildly different color schemes.
I'm not really a fan of pocket squares. I'd go without one.
Match them!

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NBA Style 7
simonkr / E+ / Getty Images
Which look would you want in a dress shirt?
Paisley
A striped print, in deep, saturated colors
Traditional, with buttons, not French cuffs
In the trash, so I can wear a fishnet tank top!

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NBA Style 17
fancy.yan / Moment / Getty Images
What do you look for in a designer, to be sure of their reputation before checking out their wares?
I look for a royal warrant.
I check to see if they make things in my most controversial size.
I check how sturdy their clothing is.
I find out if the model I'm dating approves of them.

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NBA Style 21
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How do you dress when you're going to a party where you know others will (openly or not) judge your appearance?
I don't want to be the flashiest, but I want everything to fit right and go together.
I wear an outfit that is light on details, but heavy on a single stylistic choice, like the color palette or cut.
I wear clothes that are neatly pressed, with one or two "current" items mixed in.
I dress in the most outlandish, outrageous way possible.

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NBA Style 22
Jared Giarrusso Photography / Moment / Getty Images
What style of shoe has remained a favorite for the longest stretch?
It's hard to say for sure, but I'd probably go with a favorite brand of high-tops.
Driving shoes, surely
Running shoes, to be sure
Sandals

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NBA Style 18
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How would you feel about wearing a knock-off?
I wouldn't wear one because I know the amount of blood, sweat and tears that go into a designer's career, the product of which is their clothing.
I don't have to worry, because they never fit me.
Stylistically I'm not opposed, but knock-offs are often made by exploited people, and I can't support that.
Fine. I'm not hurting anyone.

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NBA Style 24
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Which of these qualities that have little to do with the actual end product matters to you the most when it comes to fashion labels?
The narrative of the brand's creator
How dedicated they are to presenting realistic models
How environmentally-minded they are
How much more expensive it is than all the others

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NBA Style 25
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Which of these describes the shoes you'd be most likely to wear with a pair of totally standard, straight cut jeans if you were going to a casual house party?
Bright white, high fashion sneakers
Monk strap loafers
The most comfortable, unpretentious low-top walking sneakers I can find
Crocs with socks

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NBA Style 26
Ariel Skelley / DigitalVision / Getty Images
What type of color palette would you pick for a black-tie wedding outfit, if you were a guest at someone else's wedding?
I'd ask what colors the host would rather we wear.
Navy blue and white, but no black
Black, green and light blue
All white, all right?

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NBA Style 13
Mlenny / E+ / Getty Images
What signature accessory do you wear to work?
Cool glasses
A snazzy but understated analog wristwatch
A cool belt buckle
Top of the line bluetooth headphones

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NBA Style 27
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What factor would be the primary deciding factor in buying a jacket or top coat?
Cut
Fit
Durability
Price

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NBA Style 28
Daniela Duncan / Moment / Getty Images
How do you organize your clothing storage?
Outfits go together on hangers
Every category (shirts, trousers, socks, etc.) is organized according to age, so I know what's new and what's on its way out.
I just put all the shirts together, etc. Nothing special.
I carefully arrange my clothing in a heap on the floor beside my bed because I'm too busy to be bothered to put things in drawers. They're just going to come out again and wind up on the floor anyway!

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NBA Style 14
Tom Werner / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Which of these color palettes appeals to you the most?
Red, yellow and blue
Black, white and red
Blue, white and taupe
Orange, yellow, red, white, green, gray and steel blue

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NBA Style 29
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What are you trying to do or say when you put on a tie?
"I'm a professional, so treat me like one."
"Yes, I can pull this off."
"I'm taking you seriously."
"I was forced to wear this."

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NBA Style 30
Fancy / Veer / Corbis / Getty Images
What nightclothes do you wear?
A bathrobe and shorts
PJ bottoms and a t-shirt
Boxers
Nothing! Ha!

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NBA Style 20
Thomas Northcut / Photodisc / Getty Images
What do you look for in structured fashion sneakers?
A new, exciting aesthetic, or a cool story
Technology that's good for your feet and your stature
Time-tested build quality
I just get the most expensive thing and call it a day.

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NBA Style 16
fancy.yan / Moment / Getty Images
What do fashion labels mean to you?
It's a bet. When you make a label for yourself, you're saying you should be held to a high standard you set with your best work.
Some labels make clothing for real people. Some make clothing for themselves. I prefer the former to the latter.
Labels are those things I have to cut off my clothing, so they don't chafe.
It means I don't have to think about choices beyond saying "OK, that label seems fine."

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NBA Style 11
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To what would you match your belt?
My watch band
My gloves
My shoes
My trousers

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NBA Style 5
Nicola Katie / E+ / Getty Images
What special twist would you put on how you would wear a vest?
Just keep the bottom button undone. That's how you're supposed to wear it.
I'd want one with a non-vertical pattern, and I'd add a pocket watch with a single Albert chain.
I might wear it without a jacket.
I'd wear it without a shirt, but with jeans shorts.

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NBA Style 19
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How long do you plan to keep this year's wardrobe?
A year or two, at which point I'll probably donate it.
I'll keep some of it until it falls apart, but the rest I'll donate in a year or two.
One item in, one item out. That's my rule.
I only wear clothing one time and then throw it away.

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NBA Style 12
andresr / E+ / Getty Images
Why would you go shopping for clothes on any given day?
Because I want to pick up an outfit that I like that is of the moment and may not exist soon
Because I want to get to the store before they run out of my size of clothing
Because I realized that I don't know how old my jeans are, so they're probably too old
Because my significant other drags me to the store, using shame

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NBA Style 15
Image Source / Photodisc / Getty Images
What kind of timepiece would you wear on a night out?
An analog watch in a retro style
An analog watch with a clean, modern face
A cheap digital watch with a built-in light so I can read it!
A smartwatch so everyone knows I'm smart!

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NBA Style 23
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If you were dressing for a day when you wouldn't see anyone, how would you dress?
I'd experiment with a look I've not tried before.
I'd wear clothing I hadn't worn in a long time to decide if I want to keep it, once I've worn it long enough to remember what it's like.
I'd dress more or less the same as when I go out.
I'd wear a thong, flip flops, and one of those plastic drinks helmets.

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NBA Style 3
TommL / E+ / Getty Images
Where do you look for fashion inspiration?
I keep an eye on various subcultures for inspiration, but I have a few designers I favor, regardless of the look.
I like going to museums for inspiration. I'm a fan of the paintings of John Singer Sargent.
I think about the things I wanted to wear when I was broke, but couldn't afford. If I still want those things, I'll get them.
There's this guy who I see on my corner a lot, drinking out of a bag, and he dresses like he's got nothing to prove to anyone.

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NBA Style 6
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Which of these describes a blazer you'd wear?
Tropical wool in a contemporary, form-fitting cut
Double back vents, slanted pockets slim lapel
Blue
You don't wear a blazer, you drive a blazer.

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NBA Style 8
Dear Blue / Moment / Getty Images
What are you trying to say with your style?
"I know you're looking, and I want to look good for you."
"I'm comfortable in my skin."
"I'm not pretentious."
"I'm dressed."

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NBA Style 4
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How do you plan your outfit when you're going out with a romantic partner?
I make sure we're going with more or less the same aesthetic.
I try to wear something that doesn't clash, in terms of color.
I just wear something dressy enough to be respectful.
I roll out of bed and put on the first items I see on the floor.

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NBA Style 1
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What does the word "style" mean to you?
It means a manifestation of intentional communication through sartorial choices.
It means showing off what you look like, honestly, but in the best possible context.
It's about saying what you are, but also what you aren't.
It's a noun.

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NBA Style 2
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What piece of your outfit would qualify as a "statement piece"?
My shirts are always my statement pieces.
If I wear anything long, like a tie or a frock coat.
Nothing, really
My watch. It was the most expensive Rolex I could find.

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