The Top 10 Worst Outfits in NBA Draft History

By Edcel Panganiban June 27, 2024 10:24

Photo by Sarah Stier/GettyImages

The NBA draft marks a time of two things: the selection of budding basketball talents and some wild fashion fails. The draft night has seen its share of ill-fitting suits and outrageous styling. Together with Fan Arch, let's playfully recount the ten most outrageous garbs in the NBA draft in this article.

1. Darko Milicic (2003, 2nd overall by the Detroit Pistons)

Darko Milicic tops this list thanks to the questionable tie he chose to wear. It might raise an eyebrow as to why someone would appear in that outfit when you were the 2nd overall pick. Unfortunately, his ill-fitting suit and his questionable taste in neckties is forever etched in the history of the worst draft day suits.

2. Amar'e Stoudemire (2002, 9th overall by the Phoenix Suns)

Amar'e Stoudemire was undoubtedly talented on the court, but his draft night fit in 2002 certainly wasn't one that anyone would remember fondly.

3. Maurice Taylor (1997, 14th overall by Los Angeles Clippers)

His garish party suit, with an overall lack of elegance in his style, would create a lasting draft night fashion legacy.

4. Joakim Noah (2007, 9th overall by the Chicago Bulls)

Joakim Noah's 2007 Draft night outfit was a color wheel nightmare. Enormous hair aside, the suit, in all its bright blueness, was his undoing. A look no doubt still seared into our collective memory of draft night fashion faux-pas for ages to come.

5. Drew Gooden (2002, 4th overall by Memphis Grizzlies)

The 2002 draft night ensemble of Drew Gooden is an ideal example. Everything about the jacket, from its length to the way it buttons up and down, was no bueno for him, hence establishing himself as one of the worst-dressed draftees in history.

6. Eric Gordon (2008, 7th overall by Los Angeles Clippers)

The wide tie and white collar made for a terrible fashion faux pas of epic proportions.

When Eric Gordon was drafted to the Clippers in 2008 pic.twitter.com/MaxKkfmPzx
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) February 9, 2023

7. Samaki Walker (1996, 0th overall by Dallas Mavericks)

Despite being the ninth pick overall in the draft, Samaki's outfit from his first night is an all-time Hall of Shame winner among poorly dressed draftees. With an outfit that did nothing but reek of "I don't know fashion,"

8. Larry Johnson (1991, 1st overall by Charlotte Hornets)

As the number 1 pick overall in the draft of 1991, Larry Johnson also did not fare well in fashion on his NBA Draft night suit. It's now a draft night relic warning that even top picks are not above choosing lousy fashion.

9. Tim Thomas (1997, 7th overall, New Jersey Nets)

Between the dress shirt, one skinny and unknotted tie on top of another, and too many lapels layered on a shiny blazer that looked about ten sizes too big for him, high draft or not at an all-time low.

10. Hakeem Olajuwon (1984, 1st overall by Houston Rockets)

The least fashionable outfit in the history of NBA drafts was an iconic ensemble, but it earns this spot as basketball's most notorious one.

The NBA Draft is a hallowed house of broken hoops, dreams, and hideous sartorial nightmares. They show that not even future NBA stars are above making bad wardrobe decisions as we count down the top 10 all-time worst outfits in draft history. From the misfits of these ensembles, a vivid tapestry of draft night fashion has been woven that will continue to fuel hours upon days and years' worth of conversation.

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