NBA Dress Code Doesn’t Suit All Players

The NBA’s highly-respected reputation has come down since the glory days of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 80’s; after much debate, Commissioner David Stern decided to make a change.”One [reason for the problem] has to do with signing autographs,” said Stern in the October 19th edition of New York Times. “Another has to do with, perhaps, how you present yourself at the national anthem. A third has to do with being available for season-ticket-holder events because we very much appreciate our fans and we very much want to become more sensitive to our ultimate consumer. And, finally, discussion turned to minimum dress code.” The dress code covers a wide variety of clothes. Collared dress shirts or turtlenecks, dress slacks, khaki pants or dress jeans, and dress shoes or boots with socks will be required, and no sneakers, sandals, flip-flops or work boots will be allowed. Players are prohibited from wearing headgear, T-shirts, team jerseys, chains, pendants or medallions. Sunglasses and headphones, except on the team bus, plane or in the locker room, are also banned indoors. Players who are on the bench during a game but not in uniform must wear a sports coat. Both the player and his team will be fined for violating the rules, and repeat offenders could be suspended. Orlando Magic star Grant Hill said the rule was “good,” but he is in the small minority of players who are supportive of the new code. Most, like Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce, dislike it strongly. According to the October 19th issue of Sports Illustrated, Pierce said, “When I saw the part about chains, hip hop and throwback jerseys, I think that’s part of our culture…The NBA is young black males.” Stephen Jackson and others joined Pierce in claiming that this rule was an act of racism. Philadelphia 76ers point guard Allen Iverson believes that the players should receive a stipend when buying clothes to match the dress code. Denver Nuggets center Marcus Camby agreed that it would not go over well with players unless a stipend was part of the deal. Not even Stern has taken criticism such as Camby’s too seriously, especially given the 6’11” center just signed a deal for $45 million and will make seven million in 2005-06. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, league-famous for his antics on the court, does not understand the fuss over players’ appearance. According to the Washington Post on the twenty-second of October, Cuban said that “Some in the NBA want things to work purely in a way they are comfortable with rather than understanding players, communicating with them and understanding how the players can bring added value by dressing to fit the customer, rather than dressing to fit senior management.” This is, as Stern said, only one of many steps meant to improve the NBA’s image in the public’s eye. Despite the lack of support from the players, it is expected that many older and more traditional fans and players of the NBA, as well as former players, will support this rule. It is memorable of the glory days of Bird and Johnson, though it will take more than changing the way players dress to bring back any more than a memory.