New York Fashion Week might not be until September, but looks were on display in Brooklyn for the first round of the NBA draft held at the Barclays Center on Tuesday night.
Here are some of the best looks from Day 1 of the two-day event …
AJ Dybantsa
Not only was Dybantsa selected first overall by the Washington Wizards, but the Brigham Young product was also one of the best dressed of the night.
Dybantsa honored his father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa Sr. who grew up in Paris, by getting his suit made there. His black jacket, which tied at the side rather than buttoned, featured gray muted-tone floral accents near the shoulders, bottom, and the cuffs of the sleeve. He also honored his parents with a pin that included flags of the Republic of the Congo and Jamaica.
The jacket and pants were made from a shinier black fabric and paired with a white shirt, black boots, and a rainbow-faced watch. Dybantsa also wore a blue TC5 pin for the late Terrence Clarke, who he grew up with in the Boston area. Clarke died in a car accident in April 2021.
Cameron Boozer
Boozer is the son of former Olympian and NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer. But the Duke freshman standout, who was taken by the Memphis Grizzlies third overall, had a draft suit resembling that of a different NBA icon.
In a white suit, Cameron Boozer’s look was reminiscent of LeBron James’ 2003 outfit, when he also wore a monochromatic suit complete with black and white shoes.
While Boozer wore a warmer white hue, he had a white jacket, shirt, pants, and tie, with the only different color in his outfit coming from his brown shoes.
Yaxel Lendeborg
The Pennsauken High School graduate Lendeborg had a similar idea of rocking a white suit, but styled his differently than Boozer.
Lendeborg, who was picked 11th by the Golden State Warriors after winning a national championship with Michigan, paired a white jacket, white shirt, and white pants with a brown tie and matching brown shoes.
He completed the look with gold bracelets, sunglasses, and a watch that all complemented each other.
Chris Cenac Jr.
Sunglasses were a popular accessory on the red carpet this year, with Cenac, selected 27th overall by the Boston Celtics, also sporting a pair with his look.
Cenac went for a traditional patterned suit. The glen plaid suit bordered on a hue between gray and beige, which he paired with brown shoes, and an eggplant-colored tie and handkerchief. The big man, who starred at Houston, also added a gold watch to the outfit.
Kingston Flemings
Also wearing a patterned suit was the Houston standout Flemings, who was drafted eighth by the Atlanta Hawks. Fleming wore a pinstriped double breasted suit.
The burgundy suit’s pinstripes were gold, which he paired with a white shirt and matching burgundy tie and black shoes. He also had a gold pin on the collar of his jacket with his initials that tied in with the suit’s gold detail.
But the real star of Flemings’ outfit was the inside lining, which featured a collage of photos from his journey through his career as well his favorite quote: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Mikel Brown Jr.
Brown, whom the Brooklyn Nets drafted sixth overall, also had a special lining on the inside of his suit jacket.
Already at home in the Barclays Center, Brown wore a white jacket that featured a powder blue collar area, a matching powder blue vest and pants, and silver tie.
Brown wanted to honor his heritage and the tradition on his mother’s side of the family. Brown’s mother, Marisela, grew up in Puerto Rico.
On the inside of his jacket, Brown had a lining that showed Puerto Rico’s national flower, the Flor de Maga, in red, white, and blue, and the Puerto Rican flag as well.
