The Banning Of Bling

And so it was written, and so it shall come to pass. From this day forward, there will be no flossin’ of one’s bling courtside.

In mid-October, the NBA instituted a dress code for its players, igniting a conflagration of controversy among critics, analysts and the players themselves. The league’s ban on t-shirts, flashy jewelry and throwback jerseys immediately drew criticism that it was trying to target its young, black players of the hip-hop generation. Critics claimed that league commissioner David Stern was trying to distance himself and the NBA from last year’s Ron Artest brawl, and is catering to the season ticket holders of Corporate America.

Monday evening, I had a chance to talk to someone with a little NBA insight for his thoughts on the new dress code. I sat down with Coach Reggie Theus, who played 13 seasons in the league, to discuss what this meant for the NBA and its players.

“The players have to understand that this is their job, and Stern is their boss,” he said. “It’s just like any other job. You and I can’t go into work dressed any way we like.” It’s a valid point, but players like Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby disagree. Iverson, whose trademark ‘do rag is now banned, said “just because you put a guy in a tuxedo doesn’t mean he’s a good guy.” He said that he will fight to wear the clothes in which he is most comfortable. Camby, who is making almost $8 million a year, said that players are not likely to comply unless they are given an extra clothing allowance.

“That’s just the typical reaction of players like [Camby,]” Theus said. “But even if they’re making $8 million, they still have a boss who is making more than them. Does Marcus Camby sign his own checks? Until he does, he’ll have to do what they ask him to.”

“When I was playing, it was the athletes that set the trends. We understood that and took pride in our appearance. We always wanted to look professional,” said Coach Theus. “Now, the rappers are the trendsetters, and players are dressing like them.”

This is the first time that the NBA has imposed a dress code on its players. So why now? “Well, until now you haven’t had players walking around in throwbacks and Tims with a $100,000 license plate hanging from their neck. They’re trying to dress like rappers, but even Diddy and Jay-Z wear suits to work. There’s a time and place for street clothes, but it’s about being professional.”

Theus has always put his money where his mouth is. Eddie Johnson, his teammate in Kansas City and Sacramento, recently said, “Looking good in suits was so popular that it became just as competitive as the games. We would chastise [Reggie] about the leather outfits he wore, but after a short while the whole team was shopping at North Beach Leather and dressing like him.”

If the league is trying to distance itself from hip-hop, it’s going to take more than a dress code to do it. After all, let’s not forget that Jay-Z, Usher and Nelly are all part of the elite owner-class.

-From Pulse
December 1, 2005