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Ain't the National Bling Association

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 19, 2005 1:25PM

2005_10_sports_nba_dresscode_mj.jpgBack in the old days players knew how to dress well, but with players' dress becoming increasingly casual in recent years NBA Commissioner David Stern decided it was time to institute a dress code for NBA players when they are participating in team or league activities. Some of course, accuse the league of trying to remove the hip-hop from the league to make it more palatable to corprate and suburban interests.

While the news of the coming dress code has been getting the players worked up for a couple weeks now, but the offical code was just released by the league yesterday.

Players seemed to think the dress code would require jackets and ties. The actual dress code calls for business-casual attire -- not nearly as tough as they'd feared. They'll be required to wear collared shirts, turtlenecks or sweaters along with dress slacks, khakis or "dress" jeans. Dress shoes or dress boots are OK, but the popular Timberlands will be banned. While players not in uniform on the bench during a game will be required to wear at least a sport coat, however players will have the choice of wearing either code-conforming outfits or team-issued warm-ups when leaving the stadium after a game.

Perhaps most troubling for the players is the ban on bling -- no "visible chains, pendants and medallions allowed." That's racist according to the Indiana Pacers' Stephen Jackson! It is!?! "I think it's a racist statement because a lot of the guys who are wearing chains are my age and are black." Ah, we're not buying it and be thankful you're not required to wear a paper hat with golden arches on it.

Some of the players have expressed some concern with being able to comply with the new dress code for financial reasons. Bulls rookie Eddie Basden lameted, "For new guys like me that are minimum (salary) guys, it's a little tough. But whatever it is, it's cool. I already have a couple of good pieces because even when I was in college, I always had to look GQ."

Um, yeah. We imagine it is pretty difficult to find affordable business-casual clothing when you make the league minimum... of $398,762! Shit, Chicagoist has to comply with similar dress codes at work and we barely make 10% of the NBA minimum. Denver Nuggets center Marcus Camby, who's currently in the middle of a 6-year, $57 million contract is demanding a clothing stipend! Have these guys ever heard of the Gap? Old Navy? Target?