An altogether excellent night of draft suits.
BY THE EDITORS OF GQ
June 24, 2022
NBA draftees are getting too smart. It used to be that the annual event’s parade of outrageous outfits would provide Twitter comedians with fodder for days: it seemed there was no group of people in the world more hellbent on standing out at all costs, and often with catastrophic results. However, the tide seems to be turning. Plenty of last night’s hoopers looked great, and if they didn’t look great, they simply looked nice. We saw a healthy dose of double-breasted suits, monochromatic suits in muted colors, possibly too much all-black, and an undying commitment to the pendant. Congratulations to these new NBA players: getting drafted is hard, but doing it while looking good has proven over the years to be even more difficult.
Jalen Duren
Duren was part of one of the most confusing draft-night trades…ever, but there was nothing complicated about his outfit. The merlot-colored suit with tonal pink accents is right on the money. Unbuttoning the shirt rather than going with the traditional tie or bowtie is nice Winning Time-esque touch.
Jaden Ivey
The Pistons are putting together a fun young squad. And if Ivey keeps putting together outfits like this Giorgio Armani velvet suit, he’ll improve the pre-game arena tunnel walk in Detroit, too. As the Piston’s commented on GQ Sports’s Instagram, “Driptroit.” That’s not bad.
Mark Williams
Always a good move: rocking a suit in your alma mater’s colors—especially if that shade is Duke Blue Devil blue.
Johnny Davis
It’s hard to imagine a great suit inspired by Davis’s Wisconsin Badgers, but he clearly divined something special. This double-breasted muted red suit with the cursive “J” affixed to the lapel was quietly one of the best looks of the night.
Jalen Williams
Jalen Williams is the first draft pick out of Santa Clara since Steve Nash. More importantly, he was the only guy to wear a pinstriped Gucci suit. Very auspicious signs for one of the newest members of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Blake Wesley
It appears that the number of guys in bowties at the NBA draft is dropping, but Wesley is carrying the torch and looking great doing it.
Jeremy Sochan
A lilac double-breasted suit atop a black turtleneck: this was the outfit of the night.
Chet Holmgren
When you’re a seven-foot stick-figure-come-to-life like Holmgren, a custom made-to-measure suit is essential. Holmgren called on Zegna for his draft-night look and added a pendant with die on it. This cat is rare.
Jaden Hardy
Lots of guys at the NBA draft carried ice around their necks or on their wrists, but few were rocking bejeweled lapels like Hardy. This is ice innovation.
Keegan Murray
Here’s the bad news, Keegan Murray: you were just drafted by the Sacramento Kings. The good news? You can really pull off a double-breasted suit.
Shaedon Sharpe
Sharpe relaxed for a full season in Kentucky, still got drafted seventh overall by the Portland Trailblazers, and was able to wear a great outfit to the draft. He is truly living the dream.