The Court and The Catwalk
The Washington Wizards have no shortness of style.
Fans who attend games at Capital One Arena can watch the players defend their pregame fashion choices (or judge their teammates’ style) in a humorous segment that can air on the jumbotron between plays. During the segment, Kyle Kuzma’s pregame outfits were called into question, but Kuz is no stranger to people reacting to his style and had no shame in coyly calling himself the most fashionable Wizard.
The one-time NBA champion, an integral member of the Wizards’ Big Three this upcoming season, is arguably just as well known for his statement outfits as his on-court performance. During his appearance at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) on September 14, Kuzma walked the runway in an all-black Puma ensemble that reminded some Twitter users of Darth Vader.
I liked this look. I think it elevates athleisure and adds a sleekness to it, but the jacket-skirt piece looks uncomfortable. The sleeves are just… there hanging to the side, and I can’t imagine they offer any functionality. If you’re going to make a statement in an outfit, I imagine you’d want to be comfortable doing it.
But Kuzma has always treated stadium entrances as catwalks, his style a subject of debate (and memes) long before NYFW. So to celebrate his walk on the runway and the upcoming NBA season, I’m going to list some of his most iconic pregame outfits.
Let’s start with the most iconic/controversial of Kuz’s outfits— that oversized pink sweater: this outfit is fantastic.
The sweater alone is enough to make a cozy fall outfit, but Kuz went ahead and wore a white beanie that matched his white sneakers. Of course, white sneakers could match pretty much anything, but I appreciate the coordination with his outerwear.
Most importantly, that sweater looks beyond comfortable. Sure, the excessively long sleeves limit functionality, but nothing sounds better in November than cozying up in a big sweater.
I also noticed during my research that Kuz wore a lot of pink this winter. To quote his teammate, Deni Avdija, “real men wear pink,” and Kuzma wore a pink parka on the day the Wizards announced their City Edition Cherry Blossom Jerseys.
On Valentine’s Day, Kuzma showed up to work in a pink turtleneck, pink slacks, and a red blazer to complete the seasonal/business casual look. The only thing I might change about this outfit is the jacket itself.
Maybe if he wore a different one, or if the blazer had pink details somewhere on it, the outfit would look more unified, or he could have worn a red or pink face mask. At the same time, red and white combined make pink, and I appreciate the color choices for the jacket and mask. Regardless of these details, D.C. in February can be cold, so it’s a smart choice to bundle up with a turtleneck.
Kuzma also seems to like layering when he puts outfits together. This jacket he wore in November of last year caught my attention, and I’m not sure if I like it or not.
The jacket is busy with patches representing many NBA teams like the Knicks, Bulls, Clippers, Lakers, and even the Nets’ old logo and color scheme from their time in New Jersey. I also don’t see a visible Wizards logo on the jacket. The best part of this outfit is the black and white platform sneakers he’s wearing because though he may be 6-9, there’s never a bad time to wear platforms.
Winter can be unpredictable, but Kuzma knows how to dress to stay warm. Take this monochromatic beige fleece outfit from December of last year. It vaguely resembles a onesie you wear as a kid, like the one Ralph got from his Aunt in A Christmas Story (1983), but the sunglasses and matching hat bring the look from pajama chic to high fashion.
The last look I want to talk about is this suit set Kuz wore when the Wizards announced their city edition jerseys, as an honorable mention. The combination of the basketball jersey with the floral pattern suit is, admittedly, a lot. Still, I’d like to see the suit come back as a pregame outfit, maybe before the on-court debut of the Cherry Blossom jerseys.
Though some of Kuzma’s most discussed fashion moments came when he joined the Wizards’ roster, his style has been one thing that’s made him stand out since his NBA debut. I just can’t wait to see what kind of fashion statements we’ll get this season.
All photos courtesy of Getty Images and the NBA*
