CAMERAS LINED THE player`s entrance to Paycom Arena, flashing brightly as Indiana`s star guard, Tyrese Haliburton, made his anticipated arrival for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Haliburton chose an off-white Carhartt button-down jacket paired with white pants, black shoes, and sunglasses. His key accessory for this monumental game? His debut signature sneakers, the Puma Hali 1, designed by Salehe Bembury in a vibrant hibiscus colorway.
About an hour later, the hallway illuminated again as the league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, made his minute-long walk to the locker room. The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar arrived wearing light blue-tinted sunglasses, a comfortable gray shirt jacket, and his `Masi Blue` SHAI 001 Converses, a tribute to his younger brother, Thomasi.
The MVP`s standout piece? A Chanel cross-body bag, featuring a pearl-detailed strap, complemented by an additional, smaller cross-body mini bag.
“Shai`s been doing it since he came to the league,” Haliburton commented to ESPN regarding his Thunder counterpart. “He is kind of like the undisputed king of [NBA fashion].”
Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton are more than just two star point guards leading the Thunder and Pacers in the NBA Finals, currently tied at 2-2. They are also recognized as two of the league`s most stylish players, celebrated for their distinctive tastes and designer ensembles that showcase as much versatility as their on-court performance.
While both guards are intensely focused on securing their first championship, for themselves and their respective teams, Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton are among the players who have introduced a touch of haute couture to this small-market NBA Finals showdown.
In the same city where Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka once famously showcased their outfits, Gilgeous-Alexander—alongside teammates like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren—has re-established Oklahoma City as an NBA fashion hub. Meanwhile, Haliburton, acutely aware of the significance of this moment, is utilizing the Finals to silence critics and command attention with his clutch play and personal style.
“OKC is a legendary tunnel with Russ and what Shai`s doing,” Haliburton told ESPN the week before Game 1.
“OKC is definitely one of everybody`s favorite tunnels.”
Westbrook`s Legacy and SGA`s Reign
RUSSELL WESTBROOK USED TO frequent this very tunnel, sporting a vast range of styles from COOGI crewnecks to Saint Laurent boots.
He appeared willing to go to great lengths for fashion, even if it meant tearing holes in jeans and stitching pieces back together, often purchased off the rack.
“My mom used to sew, so I used to watch,” Westbrook mentioned to ESPN during the 2023-24 season. “So if I rip something, if I cut it like I cut my jeans, I cut it up myself in the room.”
“I can sew it by hand [with a needle]. I ain`t done it in a while, but I can also [sew] it by machine as well, too.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, the first Thunder point guard to guide Oklahoma City to the Finals since Westbrook`s 2012 team, currently holds the NBA`s unofficial fashion title.
“Shai is widely acknowledged as the reigning king of NBA style,” stated Wall Street Journal reporter Sam Schube, formerly GQ`s sports director. “He`s the person who has truly inherited the mantle from legends like LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, and Russ. He`s the next in line… Shai exists in his own fashion realm. It doesn`t feel like he`s playing the same style game as everyone else.”
“Wearing much Chanel in the NBA tunnel isn`t common. That indicates the individual knows exactly what they want to wear and feels completely comfortable doing so… to take a very classic, sophisticated French women`s wear brand and reinterpret it as an NBA player is remarkable. You feel exceptionally good about yourself.”
Gilgeous-Alexander is having a remarkable season, having already secured the regular-season scoring title, MVP, and Western Conference Finals MVP, and is now contending for a potential Finals MVP.
Westbrook, who earned league MVP honors with the Thunder in the 2016-2017 season, is known for mentoring teammates on style, taking them shopping, purchasing suits or clothes, and sharing fashion advice. Now with the Denver Nuggets, Westbrook has preserved some of his most memorable outfits, including those from past Met Galas, his wedding, and draft night.
These days, he primarily wears pieces from his own fashion label, Honor The Gift. The 17-year veteran sports a different outfit for every game, then donates his clothes to friends, students at his Westbrook Academy, or charity.
“I teach them fashion, but with an emphasis on affordability,” Westbrook said of shopping with teammates. “I don`t advocate for young guys spending $2,000 at [Louis] Vuitton and [Christian] Dior. I strongly support thrift shopping. That`s how I was raised. My mom taught me and helped me understand how to look good with what you have. That`s why I was able to create my own brand.”
Now, OKC boasts another MVP influencing the fashion world. At 26, Gilgeous-Alexander walked the runway for Thom Browne at Paris Men`s Fashion Week in 2022. He was previously named GQ`s Most Stylish Man of the Year and serves as Converse Basketball`s creative director.
“Attending European Fashion Week has become a standard activity for pro athletes,” Schube noted. “But it`s rare to recall athletes walking in a Thom Browne show other than Shai. He appears to have genuine connections with some of these designers and studies the craft in a way that some of his peers don`t.”
It`s understandable then that it took him around 40 minutes to prepare “eight to nine outfits” before the Finals, ensuring he had alternative options if the series extended.
“Before every series, I definitely plan out my outfits,” Gilgeous-Alexander shared with ESPN. “You might have noticed, but each round I`ve unveiled a new colorway of my [Converse] shoe. Round 1, all outfits revolved around the gray shoes. Round 2 centered on the black shoes. Round 3 featured the clay shoes. And this round is about the blue shoes.”
OKC Teammates and Haliburton`s Boldness
SIMILAR TO THE ERA when Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka transformed Oklahoma City`s pregame arrivals into a fashion showcase, Gilgeous-Alexander isn`t the only fashion-forward player on the Thunder. Williams, Holmgren, and Lu Dort, all vital contributors to the second-youngest team to reach the NBA Finals, have also expressed their personalities through their pregame style.
Jalen Williams, in particular, isn`t afraid to generate buzz, once wearing an all-black headpiece that completely covered his head with three cushioned rows across his face.
He received a $25,000 fine from the NBA for wearing clothing with offensive language during his second-round Game 7 postgame media session.
“My style currently is baggy,” Williams told ESPN. “But it`s also just me, reflecting whatever I`m feeling. So if I feel lazy, I`m comfortable wearing pajamas. I`m not hesitant to prioritize comfort.”
For Game 1 of the Finals, Williams, 24, opted for a vintage, relaxed look with a 90s vibe, including a black and pink zip-up hoodie jacket, a hat, a graphic T-shirt featuring Michael Jackson from the `Dangerous` album cover, baggy jeans, and a `Pinky and the Brain` soft-sided lunch bag.
“This is like a classic Gen Z cool kid outfit,” Schube commented. “Big sneakers, oversized jeans, a smaller shirt, and a trucker hat that appears like something you might find at a gas station, but likely costs a thousand dollars. And is he carrying a lunch box? This outfit couldn`t be more characteristic of Gen Z style.”
Chet Holmgren, 23, also prioritizes comfort, describing his style as “casual but classy” while wearing items that boost his confidence. For Game 1, he wore a black hoodie, sunglasses, and pants. He readily admits he and the MVP occupy different fashion categories.
“It`s not a competition because the budget isn`t the same,” Holmgren said of Gilgeous-Alexander, who signed a five-year, $172 million extension in 2021. “That`s a risky game to attempt. So I don`t even try.”
“I view them as fashion professionals,” Holmgren remarked about Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams. “And I`m more of a fashion hobbyist.”
Williams also acknowledges he`s not on the MVP`s level. Gilgeous-Alexander took Williams shopping in New York during the forward`s rookie season in 2022-23. Williams witnessed firsthand Gilgeous-Alexander`s fashion connections as the two teammates shopped at designer stores Williams couldn`t afford at the time. Williams primarily observed Gilgeous-Alexander shopping that day.
“The first time, it wasn`t particularly fun,” Williams said of that shopping experience with Gilgeous-Alexander.
“I simply have more money now, so I can somewhat keep pace.”
Williams stated that fashion never becomes a competition among Thunder teammates regarding who has the best outfits. The MVP views it as providing fashion assists to his teammates.
“It doesn`t really get competitive,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN politely when asked about any fashion rivalries. “I don`t mean to sound like… they are like my kids in terms of fashion. I`ve shown them what to do and what not to do.”
This is why Oklahoma City is once again the epicenter of NBA fashion.
“You wouldn`t typically consider Oklahoma City the most fashionable place on Earth,” Schube observed. “Yet, there`s something unique happening there. They are a small market. [GM] Sam Presti, who assembled both of those teams, is clearly someone who knows how to be creative and adaptable in building a roster. This means finding and empowering young players.”
“Consequently, you get these young athletes who are incredibly stylish, and it happens to be in Oklahoma City.”
Tyrese Haliburton`s Unique Approach
BEFORE GAME 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, Haliburton arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse dressed as if for a funeral. With the Pacers poised to eliminate the New York Knicks, Haliburton appeared in a sharp all-black suit with sunglasses, carrying a black duffel bag.
Ben Stiller, the actor and avid Knicks supporter, reposted a video of Haliburton`s arrival with some playful trash talk.
“Good thing he brought his duffel for the flight to NY,” Stiller posted, presumably hoping the Knicks would force a Game 7.
Haliburton indeed eliminated the Knicks with 21 points and 13 assists in the Pacers` 125-108 victory, and the point guard delivered a perfect response to Stiller, who famously parodied male supermodels in his comedy `Zoolander`.
“Nah, was to pack y`all up,” Haliburton replied in a social media post.
The Pacers point guard, a huge wrestling fan, relishes making bold fashion statements. He understands how some arena tunnels, like Madison Square Garden`s, are more prominent. As Schube points out, Haliburton seems “aware of how this will be perceived on social media” and “of the narrative and theatrical aspects of it all.”
“Good style,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of Haliburton. “Most importantly, he owns it. He embraces his style and doesn`t care about external opinions. He simply wears it. And that`s really all you can do—go into your closet and pick your eight outfits that you think are amazing… you just have to trust your instinct and wear it with confidence.”
Haliburton, 25, is accustomed to both positive and negative feedback on social media regarding his style choices. Whether he`s adopting a `Peaky Blinders` look or wearing a Prada trench coat that online commentators compared to Inspector Gadget, Haliburton is known for creating a stir.
“He doesn`t stick to just one fashion lane,” observed Pacers teammate Myles Turner, who also has an interest in fashion with a style he describes as “preppy Western.” “Whatever he feels, he`ll put it on, and it`s definitely a conversation starter.”
“He`s bold, just like his personality.”
At the 2024 All-Star Game, Haliburton sported a long, double-breasted Prada runway jacket featuring shaggy blue fur around his biceps and knees. Some online drew comparisons between the blue fur and the Cookie Monster.
“I think people often resist things they haven`t encountered before, or everyone simply wants to conform,” Haliburton told ESPN. “This is a world where if you attempt something different, everyone will comment on it. I don`t dress like anyone else, and I`m fine with that.”
“I believe many people genuinely involved in the fashion world would say I dress very well, and I agree. But for some who know little about fashion, they might think he dresses poorly. Ultimately, I do what I want. I`m not here to please anyone.”
Haliburton approaches his outfits practically. While he enjoys standout pieces from Comme des Garcons, Prada, and The Row, he frequently rotates many items. He mentioned wearing the same 10 to 15 pairs of shoes and re-wearing pants or a black button-up multiple times as layering pieces.
“Sure, we have money, but clothes are expensive, man,” said Haliburton, who tries to remain grounded despite signing a five-year extension worth up to $260 million in 2023. “That`s why I try not to get too many extremely loud pieces that are easily recognizable if I wear them again.”
For those flashy items, Haliburton occasionally sells them on Grailed, an online resale marketplace, using an anonymous account or gives them to Olivier Rogers, his fashion stylist, to sell on platforms like The RealReal.
“I have secret accounts on sites where you can resell clothes,” Haliburton revealed. “Even if I don`t recoup the full cost… say I bought a jacket for five grand and get three grand back, that`s preferable to getting nothing while it sits in my closet.”
“When I first entered [the NBA], it bothered me significantly. I would spend a lot of money on colorful jeans and a vintage T-shirt. And once I wore it and posted it on Instagram, I felt like I couldn`t wear it again.”
As Haliburton prepares to face the Thunder again in Monday`s Game 5, hoping to replicate the magic of Game 1 where he hit the game-winning shot, the Indiana star returns to the Paycom Center, ready to uphold the standard of bringing heat to the OKC hallway.
One item unlikely to be resold are the Hali 1`s he wore in Game 1. After sinking one of the most clutch shots in Finals history to seal the Pacers` comeback win, Haliburton placed his signature Pumas next to the microphone during his postgame news conference.
“The secret sauce today was these,” Haliburton declared, gesturing to his shoes after helping erase a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Later, he delivered the perfect mic drop on social media, repeating one of the most iconic lines in NBA fashion history, a nod to Spike Lee`s character Mars Blackmon.
“It`s gotta be the shooooeeesss,” Haliburton posted.
