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Creative draft-day fashion won't come back

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Peter Schrager

Peter Schrager is a frequent contributor to NFL and college football coverage on FOXSports.com. Feel free to e-mail him at peterschrager@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter.

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Updated Jun 30, 2009 2:36 PM ET
     
 

NEW YORK

Amidst a night of monumental trades, swirling rumors, and long-suffering Knicks fans bemoaning yet another first-round draft pick, there was a bow tie in Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Yes, Oklahoma City Thunder first-round draft pick James Harden wore a bow tie to the NBA Draft. A nice one, too. It was pinkish, maybe purple, and he wore it with a striped shirt, a vest, and a swank blazer. Don't be fooled. This was significant. You see, for too long we've been devoid of creative wardrobe selections at the NBA Draft. Throughout the '80's and '90s, watching this event meant three things: the Dallas Mavericks screwing something up, TNT's Bob Neal announcing each pick, and absolutely absurd clothing choices. Crazy get-ups and head-scratching accessories were the glue to the early years of the televised NBA Draft. Hell, they were the highlights. Some examples? How about Samaki Walker's nifty get-up to the 1996 NBA Draft? Sweet hat, Samaki. Or Karl Malone's interesting "skinny tie" look at the 1985 Draft? Jalen Rose's 1995 candy cane-striped tuxedo probably takes the proverbial Draft Day suit cake. Comedians Randy and Jason Sklar, co-hosts of the ESPN Classic show "Cheap Seats", went to Michigan with Rose back in the mid '90s. On the now legendary '95 Draft suit, Randy jokes, "I think his suit came with a pimp cup. When he took the obligatory photo on stage, he actually handed David Stern his scepter so he could put on his hat." If Rose's rosy red outfit was the George Washington of noteworthy Draft Day suits, Hall of Famers Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and Hakeem Olajuwon might be the other suits on that Mount Rushmore. "Charles Barkley and Karl Malone looked like they'd never been to a big city before. Didn't Hakeem Olajuwon wear a tuxedo? Think about that. A tuxedo!" laughs Slam Magazine editor Lang Whitaker.

You wore that?

draftdayfashion Photos: Things were pretty quiet on the fashion front this year, but that wasn't always the case. Check out the more interesting draft day fashions — if you dare.
"More recently," Whitaker adds, "there was a stretch in the late '90s/early '00s where guys wore huge, boxy suits with shoulder pads fit for the NFL. Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson actually still dresses that way." Ouch. But those days are apparently long gone. No longer do players show up to the draft wearing the same suits they wore to their high school senior year awards banquet. Though Ricky Rubio may look like he is of Bar Mitzvah age, he dressed like a full-grown adult on Thursday night. A very well coiffed, well-paid adult at that. All of the draft picks Thursday night did. Los Angeles Clippers pick Blake Griffin was decked out in elite designer Waraire Boswell. Fellow top-15 picks Austin Daye, Hasheem Thabeet, and Tyler Hansbrough were all wearing the very trendy (and very pricy) Elevee. Even Harden's bow tie, which was spectacular, did not provide the bloggers and armchair quarterbacks much comic relief. It was more GQ than Mad. On whether he tied the bow tie himself, Harden shared Thursday night, "I tried so many times. It just wasn't working. So I had my stylist come up and give me a lesson on how to do it." Yep, 19-year-old James Harden — a kid who just days ago was living in an off-campus college apartment with his buddies — has a personal stylist up with him in New York this week. Rest assured, Samaki Walker did not have the same situation in 1996. Nor did Jalen Rose in '95. I asked Rose, now retired and currently working for ESPN, to wax nostalgic about his pre-draft wardrobe preparation 14 years ago, "Prior to the draft, I went to the mall and tried on a few looks until I came up with the one everyone has come to know and love. I picked out the red pinstriped suit for the draft and a lime green suit with matching gators for my post-draft party. Talk about flashy." So, where'd all the tacky suits go? Whitaker points to the Internet as the central reason for the gradual extinction of unique Draft Day get-ups. "The Internet has become the great informer," he says. "It's pretty easy to find photos and galleries of all the worst suits in Draft Day history, and these days guys don't want to be remembered for dressing like Mr. Blackwell's nightmare." Indeed, players are now more aware than ever that every public move they make will end up on a blog, someone's Facebook page, or a couch potato's Twitter feed. One bad decision, whether it be a keg stand photo at a frat party or wearing brown shoes with a black suit, can cost a player credibility and ultimately, millions in marketing dollars. Liz Sowden, head of marketing for the classy high-end men's store Thomas Pink, says it's not just NBA draft picks looking their finest these days. It's all men, across the board. "Today's man is placing a strong emphasis on his appearance and wardrobe," she says. "He recognizes that looking sharp exudes confidence and strength." But what about Samaki?! Did a white suit and matching hat not exude confidence and strength? "NBA Draft Day is the beginning of a highly anticipated career for these men," adds Sowden. "If they look exceptional on that night, the poise and fortitude they project will give the right impression about their attitude and capability. Conversely, a less-than-sharp appearance could give the impression that they've dropped the ball. In more than one sense." Don't get me wrong. Joakim Noah wore some interesting duds in 2007, and Drew Gooden's 2002 no-button look was worthy of a good vomit session. But for the most part, those days are behind us. Like the Knicks fans in attendance at the Garden, I walked away a bit disappointed Thursday night. The evening officially marked the end of an era. Sure, there was a bow-tie, but it didn't spin in circles. There were no cheesy polka dots covering it. Hell, it looked fantastic. I guess it's just time we face the music. The days of the exotic NBA draft suits are officially done. Where have you gone, Samaki Walker?
Tagged: Drew Gooden, Knicks, Hawks, Bulls, Mavericks, Spurs, Thunder, Joakim Noah, Clippers, Lakers

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