Nick Fouquet hat, Tom Ford jacket, Hanro shirt, Loewe pants, Nike Blazer sneakers, carrying Drake OVO x Air Jordan 14 (right) and Nike Zoom Kobe 5 (left) sneakers
Score: 121-119 Rockets; Tucker: 18
4P.J. Tucker, January 25 vs. Toronto Raptors
Nick Fouquet hat, Tom Ford jacket, Hanro shirt, Loewe pants, Nike Blazer sneakers, carrying Drake OVO x Air Jordan 14 (right) and Nike Zoom Kobe 5 (left) sneakers
Score: 121-119 Rockets; Tucker: 18
5Chris Paul, October 26 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Pyer Moss “911” tee, Calvin Klein pants, Don C x Air Jordan Legacy 312 sneakers
Score: 133-113 Clippers; Paul: 12
6Chris Paul, October 26 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Pyer Moss “911” tee, Calvin Klein pants, Don C x Air Jordan Legacy 312 sneakers
Score: 133-113 Clippers; Paul: 12
7P.J. Tucker, November 23 vs. Detroit Pistons
Gucci suit; Tom Ford turtleneck, 18k gold chain, and shoes; custom Lord & Lord Designs bracelets; carrying Nike Zoom KD 3 “Christmas 2010” sneakers Score: 116-111 Pistons; Tucker: 11
8P.J. Tucker, November 23 vs. Detroit Pistons
Gucci suit; Tom Ford turtleneck, 18k gold chain, and shoes; custom Lord & Lord Designs bracelets; carrying Nike Zoom KD 3 “Christmas 2010” sneakers Score: 116-111 Pistons; Tucker: 11
9James Harden, November 3 vs. Chicago Bulls
Heron Preston x NASA jacket, hoodie, and sweatpants; Balenciaga sneakers
Score: 96-88 Rockets; Harden: 25
10James Harden, November 3 vs. Chicago Bulls
Heron Preston x NASA jacket, hoodie, and sweatpants; Balenciaga sneakers
Score: 96-88 Rockets; Harden: 25
11P.J. Tucker, November 2 vs. Brooklyn Nets
Ovadia & Sons coat, Rhude pants, Nick Fouquet hat, Air Jordan 1 sneakers, carrying Fear of God x Nike sneakers
Score: 119-111 Rockets; Tucker: 5
12P.J. Tucker, November 2 vs. Brooklyn Nets
Ovadia & Sons coat, Rhude pants, Nick Fouquet hat, Air Jordan 1 sneakers, carrying Fear of God x Nike sneakers
Score: 119-111 Rockets; Tucker: 5
13Chris Paul, October 17 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
TSU hoodie, Stefan Grant pants and jacket, Air Jordan 1 “Not for Resale” sneakers
Score: 131-112 Pelicans; Paul: 19
14Chris Paul, October 17 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
TSU hoodie, Stefan Grant pants and jacket, Air Jordan 1 “Not for Resale” sneakers
Score: 131-112 Pelicans; Paul: 19
15James Harden, October 20 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Alexander McQueen suit, Dries van Noten shirt, Fendi sneakers, Richard Mille watch
Score: 124-115 Rockets; Harden: 36
16James Harden, October 20 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Alexander McQueen suit, Dries van Noten shirt, Fendi sneakers, Richard Mille watch
Score: 124-115 Rockets; Harden: 36
In 2005 then-NBA commissioner David Stern mandated players wear “business casual attire” to games, forbidding the baggy shorts and jerseys stars like Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony were fond of, in a move many interpreted as unfairly targeting black players. It’s safe to say that at the time, Stern didn’t envision the explosion of fabulous pre-game pageantry that would result, inadvertently, from that controversial policy.
Today’s players are sartorial stars in their own right, forming lucrative partnerships with designers and even launching their own collections. Armed with professional stylists, ballers don designer duds for what’s now known as the walk-up. It’s here, in eccentric pre-game ensembles, that the Rockets—especially GQ cover star James Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Chris Paul—have earned a reputation, standing out even among the rest of the NBA for their fashion-forward sensibilities.
Harden seemingly aims for shock value, while Tucker finds creative ways to show off his famously impressive sneaker collection—often carrying a pair or two as accessories, in addition to the ones he’s wearing—and Paul uses the platform to bolster lesser-known black designers and show support for HBCUs. As they make their way to the locker room before each game, cameras flash and fashion bloggers and sports journalists alike clamor to cover the action in the Toyota Center runway—oops, tunnel. These are our favorite looks from this season.
Abby Ledoux traded Canada’s border for Mexico’s when she moved to Texas from northwestern Vermont in November 2017 to join the staff at Houstonia.
An alumna of Emerson College’s journalism program in Boston, Abby was previously associate editor of three weekly newspapers in her home state of Vermont. There, she covered everything from Bernie Sanders to the heroin epidemic and won numerous state and regional awards for her work, including the Vermont Press Association’s 2014 Rookie of the Year. She was also an investigative reporting fellow at the New England First Amendment Coalition.
Today, Abby is excited to explore Houston’s vibrant, diverse culture (and shopping scene). Aside from fashion and design, she’s passionate about politics, hip hop and Mexican food. She believes leopard is a neutral and red lipstick can fix almost anything.
