Professional NBA player Russell Westbrook is one of the most stylish professional athletes. In fact, he has already been proclaimed the most stylish athlete in the NBA.
Though we’d like to think of professional athletes as people who predominately sport athleticwear designed by NIKE or adidas, Russell smashes through all of those stereotypes. He chooses to leave the sportswear on the court and in the gym so that he can show off his style when he’s off duty. And we greatly appreciate his efforts.
Russell is known for wearing loud and lively prints, vibrant colors, and adorning clothes like no other on his 6’3 200lb frame. The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard frequently attends events captivating everyone with his personal style. As a fan of fashion, he’s always invited to some of the best fashion shows and sometimes collaborates with a few of the top designers.
Casual for Mr. Westbrook a pair ripped jeans and a t-shirt. That’s as plain as it gets for him. However, he can easily be seen in a pair of cropped trousers with an unbuttoned shirt. We’ve even spotted Russell sporting a men’s romper, right around the time that the entire world decided that men’s rompers were a big joke.
When most people think of celebrities or people in the public eye who have money, they usually assume that person has a stylist. But that’s not the case with Russell, he mixes and matches his outfits all on his own. Mostly because he believes having a stylist is a waste of money.
If you ask him about how he got into fashion and who influenced him, he’ll say his mom. Russell’s mother dressed the entire family. Though they never had enough money to be flashy with the labels, they still looked nice.
This year, Russell’s fashion statements earned him the title of “Most Fashionable Athlete” of 2017 from Sports Illustrated. The publication followed him as he shopped in New York City. The cover featured Russell in a grey jumpsuit with white stripes. Of course the front was slightly zipped open, similar to the way he wears his shirts.
Not too long ago, he’s released a coffee table book featuring some of his most popular and memorable outfits. Titled Russell Westbrook: Style Drivers, the book includes quotes from designers like Marcelo Burlon and Public School‘s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne. There also some notes from Serena Williams, Pusha T. and DJ Khaled. GQ Style‘s Editor-in-Chief Will Welch made a few contributions as well.
The point is that people enjoy when their favorite athletes can contribute more than a lot of points on the board. In Russell’s case, he’s a successful athlete and a fashion icon. His style goes beyond impressive sneakers or a few pairs of basketball shorts and sweatpants. He appeals to an entire lifestyle of people who can get the job done, but still like to look nice when they’re off the clock.
