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  • Grading The Week: Nuggets’ Jamal Murray sure looks like NBA All-Star to us

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    It’s Jamal Murray’s Team World. The rest of us are just living in it.

    Or rather, living in the glow of what might be the Nuggets guard’s best-ever start to a regular season — best statistical start, at any rate.

    While the Nuggets themselves are coming off a schizophrenic and inconsistent week, to put it kindly, after home losses to Sacramento and San Antonio, the Blue Arrow has quietly been tying a bow around his most productive November ever.

    Friday night’s 37-point performance against the Spurs at Ball Arena pushed No. 27’s scoring average over his first 12 games of the month to 23.2 per contest — easily his best clip for the month of November since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Jamal Murray: budding All-Star — A-minus.

    From Nov. 1-Nov. 28, Murray was connecting on 48% of his attempts from the floor and 40.4% from beyond the arc. As of Saturday morning, his November averages were 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 3.0 treys per tilt.

    If that sounds like a healthy jump from a year ago at this time, that’s because it is. Murray in November 2024 averaged 17.8 points, 6.7 dimes and 2.2 3-point makes over 10 games. In November 2023, Maple Curry averaged 12.5 points, 6.3 assists and 1.5 treys over just four appearances.

    Given that Murray is a historically slow-(ish) starter, Team Grading The Week (GTW) wanted to pause form stuffing our respective faces with turkey sandwiches and tip some collective caps in the Blue Arrow’s direction.

    For one, Murray promised that a dedicated summer of good health plus a intense workout schedule would lead to a better opening two months of the regular season. He’s been true to that word — so far, so good.

    For another, here’s hoping that yet another tweak in the NBA’s All-Star game format opens up a window for Murray to finally make the cut at age 28.

    Instead of conference-vs.-conference matchups, the main competition on ASG weekend will be a Team USA vs. Team World tourney. Only instead of two teams, there will be three teams comprised of eight players, with no positional restrictions, who will face off in a round-robin format.

    With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.6 points, 6.6 assist per game as of this past Friday) almost a lock to take up at least one Team World backcourt spot, Murray is going to have to keep this pace up to join his fellow Canadian at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., come mid-February. But with each passing week, Murray gets that much closer to crossing the threshold from almost to All-Star.

    Tad Boyle’s still got it — A.

    New DU men’s hoops coach Tim Bergstraser sure got the GTW crew’s attention earlier this month by beating CSU Rams and Ali Farokhmanesh in FoCo. Steve Smiley’s UNC Bears men’s basketball team improved to 6-1 this past Wednesday with a victory at Air Force. Thanksgiving weekend means we’re going to finally get some meaty inter-conference matchups on the hoops front, and no local men’s team has stepped up over the past few days the way GTW’s old pal Tad Boyle has with CU.

    Between Nov. 21-28, the Buffs (7-0) knocked off UC Davis at home by 16, then went to Palm Desert, Calif., for a holiday tourney — taking out a good San Francisco team by 10 and following that up with an 81-68 victory over Washington on Friday thanks to Bangot Dak’s 15 points and 11 boards.

    It’s too early to draw deep conclusions on the men’s hoops front locally, but not too early to dream. As of late Friday night, CU’s good week had moved the Buffs up to No. 65 on KenPom.com’s computer rankings, just ahead of CSU at No. 68. With both rivals needing a “name” win on their respective resumes before Christmas, the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Moby Arena on Dec. 6 figures to be, to paraphrase Russell Wilson, awfully spicy.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Caitlin Clark Is March

    Caitlin Clark Is March

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    You know the lore behind many men’s basketball greats: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajewon, Allen Iverson, Wilt Chamberlain…I could go on. We talk about shoe deals and the dominance of iconic brands like Nike and Converse thanks to the success of basketball.

    I could name almost every team in the men’s National Basketball Association off the top of my head. I know star players like Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Steph Curry. I can argue with the best of them that Embiid is a better center than Nikola Jokic…but what about the WNBA?

    Women’s basketball has scandalously been a fourth-world sport for close to 30 years. The salaries barely above a livable wage, the game attendance often lackluster at best, the buzz behind jersey sales and star players is minimal. In fact, you rarely see many front-page stories on women basketball professionals.

    All it takes is one…as Nike told Michael Jordan: it’s not about the shoe, but who’s wearing the shoe. Over the past few years, it hasn’t been the WNBA that’s drawing attention to women’s basketball…but the NCAA Women’s Basketball League.

    “The One” in question is Iowa Hawkeye, Caitlin Clark. During the month of March, NBA devotees ripped their attention away to the NCAA March Madness tournament. And while the men’s teams generally dominate our screens, the women have recently stolen the show.

    Who Is Caitlin Clark?

    Caitlin Clark

    AP Photo/Abbie Parr

    Hailing from Des Moines, Caitlin Clark quickly became one of the most talked about players in college basketball. This past season, the 6-foot guard averaged 32 points per game, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. She’s widely regarded as one of the greatest female basketball players of all time, and she’s only 22 years old.

    As a senior with another year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Clark has options. She can continue to eviscerate all competition in her path and continue working towards an NCAA championship…or she can test her luck in the WNBA.
    And then there are the multi-million dollar offers from 50 Cent and Barstool’s Dave Portnoy to play in their respective leagues.

    Clark is set to become the highest paid female basketball player, and for a good reason. A first team All-American, the recipient of the John Wooden Award, an NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer
    among both men and women — I could go on…

    She’s making women’s basketball not only
    cool, but she’s had an effect similar to the one Taylor Swift had on football. The Caitlin Clark Effect knows no boundaries: the 2023 NCAA Championship game versus Coach Kim Mulkey’s LSU Villainesses was the most-viewed women’s college game in history. Each team that Iowa played saw their highest attendance ever, and Iowa’s home games were seeing equally sold-out successes.

    Celebrities are suddenly flying to Iowa just to see Clark play. During April 1’s LSU-Iowa rematch, Jason Sudeikus cheered on Clark. Her fan base includes Travis Scott,
    Tom Brady, Billie Jean King, and Ashton Kutcher. A game in Iowa City now resembles the courtside section of Madison Square Garden.

    Clark is a joy to watch. A true anomaly of a human whose basketball prowess borderlines on the robotic, it’s that impressive. She makes an NCAA game look like the prime Golden State Warriors…and she’s not alone in women’s college basketball superstardom.

    Who Are The Women’s NCAA Basketball Stars?

    Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese

    Angel Reese taunting Caitlin Clark in the 2023 NCAA Championship

    Tony Gutierrez/AP

    It feels like there’s a superstar on every team in the women’s 2024 March Madness tournament. This made the tournament a thrill to watch, because every game has been a head-to-head matchup of some of the hottest young talent heading into the WNBA.

    Caitlin Clark’s next matchup are the UConn Huskies, who have their own star in guardPaige Bueckers. Bueckers has garnered a host of awards and accolades throughout her college career: the 2021 Wooden Award recipient, Big East player of the year and freshman of the year, etc.

    Bueckers and the Huskies just knocked off USC’s Trojans led by true freshman guard JuJu Watkins. Watkins is yet another thrilling name in the realm of women’s hoops and the face in Nike and AT&T Wireless commercials alongside NBA stars like Joel Embiid.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_XCmAHlZ6w

    And then there’s the aforementioned “villainesses” at Louisiana State University. Led by power dresser and controversial coach, Kim Mulkey, the LSU women’s basketball team is constantly the talk of the town.

    After LSU lambasted Iowa last year in the tournament, all eyes were on the trash-talking, bold LSU Tigers. Guard Angel Reesebacked up her trash talk with a killer performance on the court, and off the court, she embraces the villain role with open arms.

    She’s not wrong. The LSU team undoubtedly gets a majority of the heat from the public. It’s not lost on me that it’s often a bunch of grown men trolling the women’s physical appearance on social media and harping on their “unladylike” behavior rather than their commanding presence on the court.

    One more point Angel Reese wasn’t wrong about: they’re like The Beatles. There’s fervent support and a cult-like following surrounding women’s college basketball. And as these powerhouses progress in their careers, there’s been a WNBA resurgence. Men are opting to watch 22-year-old Caitlin Clark over 39-year-old LeBron James.

    Welcome To The Women’s Basketball Takeover

    Don’t believe me? The proof is in the numbers. Games featuring Iowa and Caitlin Clark during her final season are reported as the most-viewed women’s college basketball games of all time across platforms like ABC, Fox, and NBC. Clark’s final regular season game – when she broke the scoring record – was the second most-watched game (men or women) of the season.

    Tickets for the Iowa-UConn matchup are currently going for over $1000, and the Iowa-LSU matchup on April 1 recorded 12.6 million viewers. That smashes last year’s previous record of 9.9 million…but, before that the record was in 2002, at 5.6 million.

    To put that in perspective, they’re not that far behind men’s basketball – the NC State-Duke game peaked at 15.1 million viewers. The game was more viewed than the 2023 World Series and NBA Championship. And although you can’t yet bet on women’s basketball, I would say we aren’t far behind.

    It’s a new era for women’s basketball. A new investment. And we can’t wait to see what happens next.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • “Make History, Not Hype”: How The Converse Weapon Is Having A Resurgence

    “Make History, Not Hype”: How The Converse Weapon Is Having A Resurgence

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    When you think of basketball shoes, your mind instantly zooms to Nike. You think of the Greatest Of All Time. Michael Jordan has created an empire of Air Jordan sneakers with a competitive resale market behind them.

    But there was a world before Michael Jordan – before Nike took the leap and offered Jordan a stake in the company for a shoe deal. Before MJ, Nike meant zero in the basketball world. They sold him on the pitch that it’s about who’s in the shoes, not the shoes themselves. But before MJ, what kicks were players wearing?

    Oddly enough, Converse. Yes, the popular high-top canvas sneaker was once the instrument of that satisfying symphony of squeaking you hear on the courts. And there was one style in particular that dominated the market: the Converse Weapon.

    The History Of The Converse Weapon

    Converse Weapon Ads

    Converse

    The Converse Weapon’s slogan was fittingly “more of NBA’s big guns are wielding a new Weapon.” That was a humble nod to the players who filled the popular leather sneaker like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, and Mark Aguirre (to name a few.)

    In the late 80’s, every player was wearing the Converse Weapon. With NBA legend, Philadelphia 76er Julius Erving, already under the Converse belt, the Weapon was their most elevated design yet.

    And of course- there’s the much-documented Larry Bird-Magic Johnson feud that helped Converse market their shoe further. Both players dominated in the Weapons, so when they faced off, billboards showed photos of the two with the tagline, “Choose Your Weapon.”

    By signing so many stars to their studded roster, Converse had everyone wearing their shoes. But exclusivity wins in the end. Nike gives everything they have to Michael Jordan, and Michael Jordan alone…and they take over as the dominating basketball shoe.

    But, that doesn’t end the Converse Weapon’s story. In fact, it’s time to say hello (again) to the new era of the Converse Weapon.

    The New Converse Weapon

    new Converse Weapon

    The new Converse Weapon

    GQ

    In 2024, nostalgia-core is a huge trend. We love to recycle, which is why 70’s style bell bottoms are back and Y2k low-rise mini skirts are somehow still going strong. Fur vests aren’t avant-garde, neither are loose bottoms with smaller tops.

    The time is right for the Converse Weapon to make its great return. Really leaning into the nostalgia, Converse shared that the shoe is dropping in familiar colorways and the same leather, chunky high-top style we all know and love.

    This is a part of Converse’s CX Project, which has already re-imagined the classic Chuck Taylor canvas sneaker. Using the original 1986 blueprint for their design, CX added their foam midsole and redesigned the outsole.

    Not only are they bringing back the style made popular by Magic Johnson, but they’re also using one of the most fashionable NBA All-Stars, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as the face of the shoe’s new era.

    The new slogan is “Make History, Not Hype.” It’s a not-so-subtle dig at competing brands like Under Armour who have built their brand around big names like rapper Jack Harlow (who starred in the reboot of the 1992 basketball film, White Men Can’t Jump.)

    Converse wants to let performance do the talking. Legacy doesn’t hurt either. With such a historic shoe, it just makes sense to invite SGA to be the face of the resurgence.

    “It’s an iconic shoe for many reasons,” Gilgeous-Alexander told GQ, “but it’s cool to bring back these ‘80s sneakers in their original look and colors. I’m all about vintage, so this silhouette coming back just feels right.”

    Gilgeous-Alexander may have piqued the interest of the non-basketball-obsessed internet with his MSCHF Big Red Boots, his presence at Fashion Weeks across the world, or simply his pregame fits. But on the court, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just as show-stopping. He’s really having himself a year.

    Who Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

    new Converse Weapon

    SGA for Converse Weapon

    GQ

    SGA is a point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, a first-round draft pick in 2018 who is averaging 22 points per game in his career so far. But what’s set him apart from the rest this year despite his dominant statlines are his leadership abilities.

    Shai has quickly become a frontrunner in talks for the NBA’s MVP race this year, alongside greats like Denver Nuggets’ center Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antektokounmpo.

    This season alone, he’s averaging over 30 ppg and the Thunder are second in the Western Conference, with a 42-19 record.

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the perfect fit for Converse for so many reasons: he’s one of the best in the game right now, he’s one of the leading fashion entities in the sports industry, and he’s not slowing down.

    Converse thinks SGA is the perfect fit to usher in a new generation of the shoe…and so do we.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Nikola Jokic on his defense after 4 steals vs. Warriors: “I think I’m not bad, not good. I’m in the middle.”

    Nikola Jokic on his defense after 4 steals vs. Warriors: “I think I’m not bad, not good. I’m in the middle.”

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    SAN FRANCISCO — The cartoonish Defensive Player of the Game chain is objectively the Nuggets’ corniest tradition, a blinged-up symbol of morale and affirmation usually reserved for college football sidelines rather than NBA locker rooms. If it seems one is too many, brace for impact.

    “We only travel with one. We’ve gotta change that,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after a 119-103 win over the Warriors on Sunday. “Because if we had two chains, Nikola would have gotten the other one.”

    The lone chain couldn’t belong to anyone else but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for his dogged efforts in trying to out-cardio Steph Curry in the half-court. But in Nikola Jokic’s trio of videogame performances since the All-Star break, his defense has stood up respectably next to his offense. He’s averaging 27.3 points, 16.7 rebounds and 15 assists on 68.7% shooting … plus three “stocks,” a combination of blocks and steals.

    When he’s on the floor this season, the Nuggets are allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions, 1.3 below their overall total as a team.

    As a crowded MVP race heats up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic, Jokic’s four steals against Golden State were a testament to the trickiness in evaluating his defense. He’s not always noticeably impactful — the No. 1 argument skeptics make against his annual candidacy is that he’s a liability, even — but when he’s engaged in the game plan and actively anticipating an opponent’s next move the way he does on offense, he can be a master of his role in Denver’s defensive system.

    “I think I’m not bad, not good,” Jokic said Sunday at Chase Center. “I’m in the middle.”

    By the same token that Jokic doesn’t dunk the basketball often, he rarely swats shots or plays above the rim defensively. Instead, the Nuggets maximize their center’s strengths by having him guard higher up against ball screens than most big men in the NBA, subsequently leaning heavily on weak-side help from Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. to contain rollers. When Jokic can play from the middle of the floor, his vision and IQ work in sync with his quick hands.

    “The more he’s up in pick-and-rolls and on the ball … that’s what he’s great at,” Caldwell-Pope said recently. “Just being up. Active hands. Getting deflections when they try to make that pocket pass.”

    Jokic amassed five deflections to go with his four steals in Denver’s seventh consecutive win against the Warriors. As of the 56-game mark, he was tied for eighth in the league with 2.9 per game (as many as the absurdly wingspanned Victor Wembanyama). “That speaks to activity, that speaks to a physicality, that speaks to being in that right place in the right time,” said Malone. Disrupting the pocket pass is a facet of Jokic’s innate understanding of pick-and-roll angles, the same understanding that makes his two-man game with Jamal Murray so brilliant at the other end of the floor.

    It’s not Murray he’s generally teaming up with to defend the pick-and-roll, though. It’s Caldwell-Pope, who’s regularly charged with premier backcourt matchups. The experienced Caldwell-Pope is one of the best guards in the league at navigating screens. But the Nuggets have minimal off-day practice time during the season to refine two-man defensive chemistry, and Jokic and Caldwell-Pope haven’t been playing their entire careers together. So, says Caldwell-Pope, it’s a matter of “learn on the go.”

    “I feel like with Jok, in a pick-and-roll with him defensively, I know he’s gonna be up,” he said. “I know he has great hands, just like I have great hands. He’s gonna try to go for the steal as well. So just us two, being in that action, it helps me out a lot. It helps him just to get back to his man and helps me stay as close as possible to my man. That’s our game plan, him being up. And it’s good for our team, for him to be up.”

    Caldwell-Pope added that his individual emphasis, to hound the ball-handler through the screen while Jokic also stays up, is made easier by Jokic dropping marginally behind him and being able to see other aspects of the play unfolding. “He reads plays faster than I can sometimes,” the former Laker said.

    “That’s him, to be honest,” Jokic retorted of his chemistry with Caldwell-Pope. “I’m just there to not mess up. He’s a really good defender, and I’m there to just, try to help him a little bit. As much as I can. But it’s mostly him.”

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    Bennett Durando

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  • Nikola Jokic on NBA’s 65-game rule after Joel Embiid injury: “It forces players to play, even if they’re injured”

    Nikola Jokic on NBA’s 65-game rule after Joel Embiid injury: “It forces players to play, even if they’re injured”

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    INDIANAPOLIS — No matter how many All-Stars the NBA filed into a packed room Saturday to talk over one another in simultaneous news conferences, a silence reverberated loudest. Loud enough to be heard in at least a few of the questions.

    The most significant absence in Indianapolis this weekend is the one that’s shaking up the 2023-24 MVP race.

    Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid was the presumptive favorite until early February when he underwent surgery to repair his lateral meniscus. The left knee injury has rendered him ineligible to repeat as league MVP under new NBA policy, which requires players to appear in a minimum of 65 games to be considered for end-of-year awards such as MVP and All-NBA.

    The procedure will sideline Embiid long enough that he almost definitively wouldn’t have won MVP even without the new rule. However, his situation has still sparked debate in league circles about whether or not the 65-game minimum should have been instituted in the first place. Why? Because there was wide speculation Embiid felt pressured to play through a pre-existing knee injury in order to maintain awards eligibility, especially after getting ridiculed for missing his fourth consecutive road game against the Nuggets — and MVP adversary Nikola Jokic — in late January.

    Two games later, Embiid was back in the lineup when Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga fell on his leg and caused the injury that required surgery.

    Jokic is perversely positioned to benefit from Embiid’s unfortunate situation. The Nuggets center is the new betting favorite to win his third MVP in the last four years. But he takes no joy in that. He was asked about the 65-game rule Saturday during his media session at All-Star weekend.

    “Definitely forcing players to play, even when they’re injured or whatever,” Jokic said. “But we saw what happened with Joel. … I don’t know. I just don’t like it, how it forces players to play even if they’re injured, if they want to achieve something.”

    Arguments against the rule largely depend on the arbitrary nature of the league’s chosen number. No data-driven evidence was provided to explain why 65 makes more sense as a games-played minimum than, say, 67 — one more than the number of games Embiid played last year when he won MVP. In 2022-23, Jokic finished second in voting with 69 games played. Giannis Antetokounmpo was third with 63.

    With the door wide open now, Jokic’s biggest challenger for the 2023-24 crown is his All-Star teammate, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

    The Thunder guard, who ranks second in the league in scoring (31.1 points) and first in steals (2.2), wasn’t as quick to condemn the rule as Jokic was.

    “I’m not too sure. I think no matter what, there’s like a fine line,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Like, when it comes down to it, there’s always a fine line in games played and availability. And I think the league has the right intention in trying to make that line a little bit bolder and easier to make a decision. Now, I try to be as available as I can every night, not only for that but just for the love of the game. But as far as how the rule goes, I don’t really have an opinion. I’m gonna try to be available for my team to win basketball games every night, and if I can’t be available, then I just can’t, and it is what it is.”

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    Bennett Durando

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  • A Guide To Men’s Summer Fashion 2023

    A Guide To Men’s Summer Fashion 2023

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    Summer is fast approaching. Before you know it I’ll be writing one of these articles about men’s fall fashion. Don’t let me get too ahead of myself here, I write this adjacent to the beach slightly sunburnt. But the easiest way to get a sense of what people are wearing when they’re out and about on their summer trips.

    Whether you’re out on weekends sitting on a rooftop somewhere in New York City, or you’re at the beach somewhere admiring the waves, the summer is a great time to sit outside and admire fashion. The summer is when people feel more comfortable taking bigger risks with their fits.

    Maybe it’s because there’s so much vacationing going on…you’ll never see half of these people again, so why not wear that crochet button-down you’ve had in your closet for a special occasion?

    @notfashunjustin What to wear in the spring and summer time without breaking the bank #tiktokfashion#springsummerstyle#mensfashion#affordablefashion#frugalfashion#streetwear#ruleofthirds#proportions♬ Sunday – HNNY

    If you’re lost on what’s going on in men’s fashion right now and need to refresh your closet this summer…or you just want to get some hot new pieces for the season…I’ve got you. I’ve compiled celeb styles, scoured
    GQ, and found the best men’s fashion for summer 2023.

    The Basics

    You’re going to need a few basic items to use as layering tools for your best summer fits. Think plain loose tanks and tees in neutral colors like white, black, and taupe to wear under button-downs or by themself. I always say that if you have a few basic shirts, you can make a billion outfits.

    The key to these basics is that they are looser fit, which can complement any body type and gives your outfit a more fashionable touch.

    @mgustini#greenscreen all look so good #fyp#foryoupage#men#mensfashion#fashion#styling#stylingadvice#streetwear#preppy#vintage#thrifting#corporate#work#summer#summeroutfits♬ original sound – grace

    The Materials

    In these warmer months, don’t be afraid to play around with cooling materials such as linen, mesh, and crochet. Ironically, these are the top three materials that are popular in men’s fashion this summer. In fact, it’s all about crochet.

    Looser knit shirts will help you stay cool while looking even cooler. Fabrics like mesh and crochet give your outfit a ’70s vibe that has been ever prevalent and popular in the fashion world for the past few years.

    An easy outfit idea is to pair one short-sleeved button-down shirt of any fun material like linen with a loose-fit tank underneath, and a pair of tailored pants. It’s fun and casual, but stylish nonetheless. It looks classic on every man and is super easy to play around with and accessorize with a bucket hat or cool sneakers.

    The Bottoms

    One of my favorite male everyday style icons is Jacob Elordi, who simply knows how to dress himself on all occasions. If you haven’t noticed, he’s become a fan of a looser fitting tailored bottom, which is also popular among male celebrities like Harry Styles, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Justin Bieber, and more.

    A loose-fit linen pant or chino has become the summer staple for men everywhere. Sure, the classic fitted pants are still acceptable, but get more playful with the fit of your pants! It could be fun (and more comfortable).

    Another popular summer bottom for men are shorts that can double as
    swim trunks. They don’t necessarily have to look like they’re designed for swimming, but they can be super functional and quick-drying, which means they cool you down from the heat as well.

    The Tops

    You’ve heard me mention basic tees and tanks as layering tools…and of course the popular short-sleeve button-down. Polo-esque shirts are (and always will be) a summer staple because of how multi-functional they are. A notched neck or a collared shirt can make you look more polished without having to try so hard.

    Get playful with your shirts by taking the classics with a twist. A terry cloth or sweater material automatically makes your outfit more interesting. Keep it neutral and include pops of color in your accessories or shoes and you have an instant outfit.

    @brandonbalfourr Best items from zara this week for the summer heat! #clothinghaul#mensfashion♬ original sound – Brandon Balfour

    The Favorites

    If you’re still feeling a little lost on what to buy for yourself, here are a few of my favorite men’s fashion pieces for summer 2023:

    Short-Sleeved Button Down– Urban Outfitters BDG Eli Cotton Lace Shirt

    Polo Shirt-UO Director Popover Polo Shirt
    Swim Shorts- Standard Cloth Oliver Nylon Short

    Pants-OBEY Big Timer Embroidered Pants

    Basic Tank-BDG Calabasas Tank Top

    Mesh Top-OBEY Rolling Mesh Zip Polo

    Linen Shirt-Onia Air Linen Camp Shirt

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Just Because It’s Viral, Doesn’t Mean It’s Fashionable

    Just Because It’s Viral, Doesn’t Mean It’s Fashionable

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    A month ago I watched the NBA’s most fashionable player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, walk into the Crypto.com Arena in a cartoon-esque outfit. These round, fire-engine red boots paired with jeans that were intentionally wavy. It felt like you took some sort of psychedelic looking at him.

    @blurryvisionisfantastic Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wearing MSCHF’s Big Red Boot 👢🔴🏀 #fyp#fypシ#foryoupage#nba#fashion♬ Ac r7sheed – rhy 🎸🍃 🕸️

    And I laughed, because of course this was just the tip of the iceberg for the Big Red Boot fashion movement. MSCHF’s newest headline-worthy drop was New York Fashion Week’s most talked about shoe. You remember their Satan Sneaker, you’ve heard of their Birkenstocks made out of Birkins — MSCHF (who are actually not designers, but a Brooklyn-based art-collective) loves to make a statement.

    At the low price of $350, MSCHF offers an escape from reality with these boots via their press release:

    “Cartoonishness is an abstraction that frees us from the constraints of reality. If you kick someone in these boots, they go boing!”

    Look, if this is how you want to spend your money…don’t let me tell you not to. However, I have to wonder what the line is between fashionable clothing and viral fashion statements. Sure, I want to feel as cool as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but I don’t think wearing Big Red Boots will get me compliments at a bar.

    @fox5newyork Good Day New York tries out the viral sold out Astro Boy Big Red Boots. #fox5newyork#GDNY#astroboyboots#nyc#mschfboots @biancacastillopeters89 ♬ original sound – Fox 5 New York

    In an article by Laura Reilly for The Cut, she dons a $1,400 Diesel belt skirt that was thrust into mainstream fascination by, of course, TikTok. The only problem, the rigid leather belt barely covers anything. She muses whether or not viral fashion is meant to be worn, or to just remain viral. The perfect example that comes to mind is Bella Hadid’s Coperni spray-on dress: the most viral fashion moment of 2022, but not meant to be worn in public.

    “During New York Fashion Week last month, there was a lot of discussion about viral fashion and its place at the shows, and since a 59-second TikTok video can often lack critical context, I set out to see what would happen when I wore the skirt in the real world: Would people stare? Would they be outraged? Would they even know I’m wearing theeeee viral skirt?”

    The answer seems a bit underwhelming for those who want to have that viral piece of fashion: not everyone is going to understand (or necessarily care about) what you’re wearing…even at NYFW. Sure, you’ll get attention from avid TikTokers who are keeping up with the trends, but you will get some side eyes from others who aren’t so knowledgeable.

    Viral fashion has the same effect on me that most fast fashion does: I could wear it once, get a few photos in it…and then it’ll sit in my closet, never to be worn again, until I come to my senses and donate it. Much like Lizzie McGuire, I don’t like being called an outfit repeater, and viral fashion is too memorable and too niche to be a staple in my closet.

    However, there are the rare pieces that catch the public eye, and stay there. So instead of obscure, camp-y fashion statements…here are some of my favorite viral fashion-inspired moments that won’t cycle out of your wardrobe in 2-5 weeks.


    Leather Birkenstocks

    The Boston Birks are a classic, but constantly gripping my toes to keep them on my feet is exhausting. The leather Arizona Birks are perfect for summer weather…and won’t fly off your feet if you aren’t paying attention. Hell, they even look good for a socks-and-sandals moment.


    Free People Ziggy Shortalls

    Denim is thriving in the fashion world right now. Head-to-toe denim looks are all the rage, and these shortalls are just what you need. I like to wear these to the beach as a coverup, or just on hot days during the summer.


    BAGGU Cloud Carry On Bag

    Weekend travel bags make packing easy, and BAGGU is one of the trendiest bag brands right now. Beloved by thriftshop afficandos, frequent fliers, and laptop-carrying girlbosses alike! This featherweight bag can compact down into a small pouch, but also fits everything you need for a weekend getaway. It also comes in fun colors like lime green and lavender, the perfect pop of color for your carry-on.


    Dynamite Satin Cargo Pants

    More pockets, less problems. These satin straight leg cargo pants mix comfort and style for your favorite warm-weather going out pants. They’re great for work and play, meaning you can wear them to the office and then right to happy hour afterwards.


    Alo Yoga Faux Fur Bomber Jacket

    The trendiest jacket of the spring is the bomber/varsity jacket. This one from Alo Yoga comes in neutral shades and has an oversized look that everyone is loving right now. It’s both cozy and functional.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Thunder blow out Celtics 150-117 without Gilgeous-Alexander

    Thunder blow out Celtics 150-117 without Gilgeous-Alexander

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    OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City’s top scorer was out, so everybody pitched in to make things work.

    Josh Giddey scored a season-high 25 points and the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the NBA-leading Boston Celtics 150-117 on Tuesday night.

    Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranks among the league’s leaders with 30.8 points per game, sat out with an illness. Without him, the Thunder set a record for points since the team moved to Oklahoma City from Seattle before the 2008-2009 season. The previous mark was 149 points in 2013.

    Lu Dort scored 23 points and Jalen Williams, Tre Mann and Isaiah Joe each added 21 points for the Thunder. They shot 59.2% from the field.

    It was a record-tying performance. Including playoffs, it was the 18th time in NBA history that a team had five players score at least 21 points in a game. The most recent instance was also by Oklahoma City, when Steven Adams, Danilo Gallinari, Chris Paul, Dennis Schröder and Gilgeous-Alexander did it against Minnesota on Dec. 6, 2019.

    “I just think we’ve got great players and great people,” Mann said. “Guys who don’t really care who gets the credit.”

    The Thunder hadn’t won a game by more than 16 points and the Celtics hadn’t lost by more than 16 this season. Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said the result came from his team’s approach.

    “I told them after the game, I want them to realize what got it going, which was we had a great practice yesterday, came into the game with great focus on both ends of the floor, what we had to do, and that’s what allowed us to have fun tonight,” he said. “And we can’t lose sight of that.”

    Oklahoma City took advantage of the fact that Robert Williams, one of Boston’s primary rim protectors, was out managing his injured left knee. The Thunder made 38 of 58 shots inside the 3-point line.

    “You have to play with a sense of humility every night knowing your opponent wants to beat you,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We have to match that, and we didn’t. We got outplayed in every aspect of the game.”

    Jaylen Brown scored 29 points for Boston, and Jayson Tatum added 27.

    The Thunder led 74-54 at halftime behind Joe’s 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Oklahoma City shot 57% in the first half. The Celtics trailed big, despite Brown’s 18 points in the first half.

    A 10-0 run put Oklahoma City ahead 90-63 just over three minutes into the second half, and the game was never close after that. The Thunder scored 48 points in the third quarter — the most ever for an Oklahoma City team in a quarter — and shot 67.9% in the third to lead 122-91 heading into the fourth.

    Oklahoma City’s largest lead was 37 points.

    “Late in the second quarter, they sort of put their head down, Boston did, and they got to the line and they were trying to play through us and they were just trying to like jam their way back into the game,” Daigneault said. “And we needed to stand in there in order to fend that off. And I thought the guys did a really good job of that.”

    TIP-INS

    Celtics: Mazzulla and G Marcus Smart attended the Oklahoma State-West Virginia game Tuesday in Stillwater and sat together. Smart played college ball for Oklahoma State and Mazzulla played for West Virginia. Oklahoma State won 67-60. … Smart was called for a technical in the second quarter and ejected in the third for berating an official.

    Thunder: Even Oklahoma City’s fans were hitting shots from deep. Johnnie Durossette, a 20-year-old from Muskogee, Oklahoma, made the MidFirst Bank halfcourt shot during a timeout to win $20,000. … F Aaron Wiggins scored 17 points.

    AT HOME

    The Celtics had their shootaround at the Oklahoma City facility where Celtics F Blake Griffin’s AAU basketball program practices. Griffin is from Oklahoma City and he played college ball at the University of Oklahoma.

    UP NEXT

    Celtics: At Dallas on Thursday night.

    Thunder: At Orlando on Wednesday night.

    ———

    Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: twitter.com/CliffBruntAP

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • How To Dress Like GQ’s Most Stylish Man Of 2022: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

    How To Dress Like GQ’s Most Stylish Man Of 2022: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

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    Each year, GQ rounds up 16 of the year’s most in-demand, handsomely dressed men and then asks you – dear reader – vote for The One. It’s the March-Madness-Bracket for fashion magazine fans and superfans alike. This year’s choice was Oklahoma City Thunder star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

    This year’s GQ Sweet 16 featured some of the most fashionable men you can conjour: Adam Sandler – king of dad fashion, Austin Butler, new fatherA$AP Rocky, and rapper Kendrick Lamar. With previous winners being Harry Styles in 2020, and Tyler, The Creator in 2021, SGA fits right in.

    But if you don’t know Shai, he’s one of the NBA’s leading scorers averaging 31 points per game and is hailed for his clutch game-winning shots.

    GQ

    Of course, he’s also making a name for himself in the fashion world. Back in June, SGA was voted the NBA’s most stylish man by GQ. He was the face of the Louis Vuitton x NBA Collection. Alexander can rock a puffer vest like nobody else. And is not afraid of a statement piece like a leather vest or pair of baggy cargoes.

    His main fashion statement? No shirt under the jacket. Works every time.

    As GQ puts it:

    “No young hooper is as committed to the mission of NBA style. And none is quite as adventurous, either. And while on the court SGA has experienced his first flush of genuine superstardom, he’s still making sure to flex off of the hardwood, too. What’s the fashion equivalent of averaging 30 points per game?”

    If you want to dress like fashion’s most adventurous man, here are some of my favorite picks:

    All products featured are independently selected by our editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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    Jai Phillips

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