The 2008-09 NBA season has some players sporting spiffy new looks. We're not talking a full-out Queer Eye makeover, but it's enough to make them stand out on the court without even touching the ball.
So long cornrows
Some where Latrell Sprewell is crying.
The tightly wound braids that have adorned the heads of NBA superstars like Lee Nailon, Ricky Davis and Brad Miller (for real) are finally on the way out.
Even king of the complicated cornrow, Carmelo Anthony, has traded his trademark 'do for a smooth half-fro. Melo recently opened a barbershop in Denver and apparently his updated hairstyle is a publicity stunt. The spot is called STUDIO 15, a homage to Anthony's jersey digit, and had its grand opening Thursday.
I was hoping his former teammate Allen Iverson would also ditch his well-known lid when he was traded to Detroit earlier this week. However, it looks like AI will be keeping his cornrows and won't go throwback Iverson circa 1996.
It's just a matter of time before the cornrow is phased out of the NBA, maybe opening the door for the return of the flat-top fade or AC Green Jhuri Curl.
Thunder's jersey is not OK
Unwritten rule of sports jerseys: One line of lettering (either city, school or team nickname) above the number. Not this two-line bull crap the Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to pull.
Take a look at the Thunders' blue away unis. There's no room for paragraphs on NBA duds. The Vancouver Grizzlies tried to get away with this and look where they ended up.
Dress for success. Go with just plain 'ole Oklahoma or OKC, like the Suns PHX third jersey.
Not to keep craping on Oklahoma City, but the team's color scheme is a little 90's Pistons. Detroit rolled with a greener blue (teal for you real men) with red and yellow and look what happened to Bison Dele, Malik Sealy and Grant Hill. Two of those guys are dead and one was inches from meeting his maker.
If I were Kevin Durant, I'd be careful. Very careful.
Probably his new glasses...
Is that Amare Stoudemire scoring 49 for the Suns or Bo Outlaw? I can't see. I think I need some of those snazzy sports glasses Amare is rocking this season.
Last year it was a change in jersey number, this time Stoudemire is following in the footsteps of such goggled greats as Kurt Rambis, Orlando Woolridge and Akeem (Not Hakeem) Olajuwon.
Stoudemire is wearing the glasses to protect a torn iris, which sounds like the most horrific injury known to man. They've got the athletic forward averaging over 25 points and nine rebounds per game to start the season, sparking early MVP talk.
Could Amare pull a Rip Hamilton and continue to wear the protective device well after his injury has healed?
Birds of a feather
How many logos does one team need? The Atlanta Hawks have a franchise symbol for every win they've picked up this year.
There's the spread-winged hawk clutching the basketball, the old school pacman look, the Ball State ripoff hawk head and A-Town Dance Team member Briana. Yikes.
While the Hawks' creative marketing squad is hustling in the front office, the players are also doing their jobs on the hardwood. Atlanta is shutting down teams to 86 points per game heading into Sunday's matchup with Oklahoma City.
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