Looking at the NBA Draft Night 2023 in Style
L-R: Victor Wembanyama, Gradey Dick, Scoot Henderson (@NBADraft on Twitter)
BROOKLYN, New York — A week has passed since the NBA Draft Class of 2023 made their entrance, and man, did they do it in style. Today, we will be discussing the winners and losers of this year’s draft, but in terms of fashion.
The Winners
Pick 1: Kobe Bufkin
Brian Babineau/Getty Images
For my first pick, I will be going with our number 15 pick, Kobe Bufkin. One thing about this look is that it is trendy. From the tweed suit to the shirtless silhouette, the Atlanta Hawks prospect managed to keep things classy for the draft night while adding a more modern flare to the vision to keep his look nice and fresh. The minimal yet fun choice of jewelry, rimless glasses, and brown suede boots had me obsessed all the way down to the minute details. Bufkin’s fit at this year’s draft night shows that clean does not always have to be boring.
What Made The Look: Textures
This choice of pattern made Bufkin’s cream suit stand out from all the other off-white options. Tweed is a slightly more vintage-style fabric, which may seem to contradict the points I made earlier, but the revival of retro has actually been active and well in fashion as a whole. The tweed also brings a more distinct pattern, both in feel and visuals, than most suit materials. This naturally brought a bit more texture and energy to an overall clean and slick outfit. The choice of wearing brown suede for footwear further tied the look together while bringing a slight pop of color to the mostly monochromatic suit. In a world where vintage can now feel fresh and stylish, this outfit from Kobe Bufkin found its way to the top of my list among the entire draft class.
Pick 2: Scoot Henderson
Melanie Fidler/Getty Images
Though Bufkin’s outfit appealed to my personal sense of style the most, I would say that number three pick, Scoot Henderson’s, outfit was the overall standout on the red carpet. This bedazzled Indochino blazer was customized by his sister, China Henderson-Peters, owner of the fashion brand Mix of Luxe, and it checks off so many boxes. Bedazzled with over 600 gemstones hand sewn by seamstress Orinthia Carter, the look is glam, it’s bold, it’s loud. However, the sleek black leather wingtips and simple black pants make the look chic, classy, and very well put together.
What Made The Look: The Accessorizing
It is very easy for a piece like this one to look cheap or to overwhelm the vision, but the choice of accessories for Henderson’s outfit complimented the suit and tied the look together so seamlessly. In some of his choices, the number three pick went classic with simple stud earrings and diamond pinky rings, but in some of his other choices, Henderson turned things up another level with a hefty pendant and lower grills bedazzled in red, blue, and yellow. Overall, the selection of jewelry was tasteful and strong without being overly distracting.
Pick 3: Taylor Hendricks
@NBADraft on Twitter
To round out my top three, I went with the number nine pick of the night, Taylor Hendricks. The vision behind this particular ensemble drew me in the most out of the entire draft class. It is highly sentimental but also uniquely fashionable. With this look, the first thing to catch my eye was the color choice, and I, for one, am in full support of this baby pink ensemble. Hendricks came in with a simple, fitted suit with a pleated satin shirt of the same color, yet this color choice not only made him stand out amongst the draft class, it just suited his look extremely well.
What Made The Look: The Vision
However, what was inside the blazer won me over completely. Beneath the sugary pink coat was an autobiography with photographs lined throughout the entire piece. Hendrick’s outfit took us back to his days in Florida where he played for NSU University School and Calvary Christian Academy during his high school career and for the University of Central Florida for a season. The Florida native let the world know through his time on the red carpet that he never forgot where he came from, and the people and experiences inside his blazer were here to stay as he embarks on his journey with the Utah Jazz and the NBA.
honorable mention: Anthony Black, Victor Wembanyama
L-R: Anthony Black, Victor Wembanyama (@NBADraft on Twitter)
Two other fashion standouts were the number six pick, Anthony Black, and of course, our number one prospect from the class, Victor Wembanyama.
Black showed up to the draft in a double-breasted suit with a rich navy blue ensemble, a lace undershirt, and double chains. Though I would love to commend the Magic prospect for proving that navy and black can go well together, my personal favorite piece would be the black, lacy undershirt. This choice gave the outfit a bold and fashion-forward twist to the overall look.
Wembanyama also went with a richer color scheme, rocking a monochromatic emerald green Louis Vuitton ensemble. Though it is a simpler look, the detailing of the blazer at the waist as well as the pendant on his neck complimented the suit to create a classy and sleek look for the prospect.
The Losers (No one really lost though)
Pick 1: Gradey Dick
Jacopo Raule/Getty Images Europe
Oops… Wrong photo, one second.
@NBADraft on Twitter
One thing I will say about this outfit is that it is bright and bold. Another thing I will say about this outfit is that it appears number 13 pick, Gradey Dick, was ready to get drafted on ice. The Kansas native was decked out in Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Louboutin with this wild homage to the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. However, the juxtaposition that came with the simplest black slacks paired with his sparkly top really had me wondering if he should’ve gone all the way with the vision or not.
What I Still Loved About It: The Sheer Tomfoolery
As polarizing of a look this is, I cannot even lie when I say that I am absolutely here for the pure tomfoolery Dick and this outfit brought to draft night 2023. Aside from the elephant in the room, also known as “red sequins,” the look was accessorized very well. Toronto’s newest squad member paired the ensemble with a custom “GD” necklace, black rectangle shades, and red-bottom shoes to complete the look as well as some puffed shoulders to help ROUND out the look.
Pick 2: Cason Wallace
@okcthunder and @leaguefits on Instagram
This one hurt to put on here because of the story behind the number 10 pick, Cason Wallace, and this outfit. However, in terms of style and construction of a look, this was just not doing it for me. In terms of personal preference, I was not rocking with the firetruck red on satin paired with the bowtie of the same color. It did complement well with the “HPT” lettering on the outside of his blazer, however. I also think the breasted vest plus the undershirt plus the bowtie felt a bit stuffy in terms of construction, but all in all, most of my gripes with it are due to personal preference.
What I Still Loved About It: The Story
Like I said with Hendrick’s look, Wallace’s ensemble took the NBA world back to where his story began. What I disagreed with in the overall look of the suit, I fully admired the storytelling that went behind this look. Originally from Texas, Wallace gave a little nod to his neighborhood, Hamilton Park, Texas, named after physician and civic leader Dr. Richard T. Hamilton by printing “HPT” outside his blazer. In addition to this, the inside of his suit jacket unveiled a beautiful collage of photos with his family, from his pre-NBA playing days, and about the life that brought him the success he has worked all his life for. All in all, Wallace’s outfit for the night was one that I still admired but more so for the story behind it rather than the styling itself.
Dishonorable Mention: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Dereck Lively II
L-R: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Dereck Lively II (@NBADraft on Twitter)
Number 12 pick, Dereck Lively II, and number 17 pick, Jalen Hood-Schifino, both showed up to draft night in a rich, velvet tuxedo, and although there are certainly many things I loved about both outfits, I did not rock with the dark velvet this time around.
I am not sure if it is because of the green and red combination paired with velvet, but these two looked like they were being selected as feature artists for Michael Bublé’s newest holiday album. Both outfits were very beautifully accessorized, particularly with their custom pendants (“Fino” for Jalen Hood-Schifino and “II” for Dereck Lively II), and maybe a few changes in color or fabric choice could have changed my mind. However, because the fashion from draft night 2023 was as stacked as the roster itself, I had to split hairs and put these two down as my bottom picks.
Trend Alert
“This Ain’t 2003”: Fitted Suits
L-R: Jordan Hawkins (@NBADraft on Twitter), Dereck Lively II (Brian Babineau/Getty Images)
We all remember the 2003 NBA Draft class for a multitude of reasons. Maybe it was the stacked roster within the class or the careers that followed them, but another thing that certainly represented the class was the amount of excess fabric in their suits. With the shift from baggy pantsuits to fitted tuxes, it just goes to show that times do change, and trends can adjust over the course of two decades.
“Suit, No Tie”: Doing Away With the Necktie
L-R: Keyonte George, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Anthony Black (@NBADraft on Twitter)
A traditional symbol of formality in fashion, many prospects from this year’s class seemed to have opted for chains over ties. Although there were a few neckties and bowties floating around, many of the draft picks opted for a fresher tieless look as we enter the summer season. The absence of a typical necktie gave some of these looks a less formal but still stylish and classy feel that complimented the summer night well.
“Iced Out”: Pendants, Chains, and Jewelry
L-R: Cam Whitmore (@NBADraft on Twitter), Jarace Walker (NBAE/Getty Images), Jalen Hood-Schifino (@NBADraft on Twitter)
NBA Draft Night is the night to make yourself known as a player, as a prospect, and as a figure, so what better way to do that than to etch it on your neck? From initials to name prints and even a custom figure on the necklace, many members of the 2023 roster used even the smaller pieces of their looks to make themselves shine at the draft.
“What Draft Night Is About”: Homage PiecEs
Counterclockwise: Taylor Hendricks, Cason Wallace (John Minchillo/AP Photos), Bilal Coulibaly (@NBADraft on Twitter)
At the end of the day, the magic of the draft comes from the fruition of young dreams. NBA Draft Night is always a special night for the NBA community, but there is an extra feeling of love and gratitude for the prospects and their families. From collage work to symbols and even custom pieces made by the family members themselves, the members of the NBA Draft class of 2023 intend to take as much or as little of their respective stories with them into the their next destination.