SPORTS HISTORY IN BLACK: NBA introduces dress code to crack down on urban wear

Allen Iverson was an incredibly talented basketball guard. He was a force on the court, but also carried tremendous cultural... The post SPORTS HISTORY IN BLACK: NBA introduces dress code to crack down on urban wear first appeared on NABJ Black News & Views.

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Nov 8, 2024 - 02:52
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SPORTS HISTORY IN BLACK: NBA introduces dress code to crack down on urban wear

Allen Iverson was an incredibly talented basketball guard. He was a force on the court, but also carried tremendous cultural influence off the court. On the sidelines in the early 2000s, Iverson often wore apparel associated with hip-hop culture—such as jeans, doo-rags, t-shirts and Timberland boots. While many saw Iverson as a poster child for Black cultural expression, some NBA officials deemed the clothing as “not becoming of a professional.” 

etired Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson, center, sits out the game against the Washington Wizards because of an injury on Jan. 26, 2005, in Washington. The NBA announced on Oct. 17, 2005, that a minimum dress code would start Nov. 1 requiring business casual wear for players. Photo credit: Charles Dharapak, The Associated Press
Retired Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson, center, sits out the game against the Washington Wizards because of an injury on Jan. 26, 2005, in Washington. The NBA announced on Oct. 17, 2005, that a minimum dress code would start Nov. 1 requiring business casual wear for players. Photo credit: Charles Dharapak, The Associated Press

Players around the league began to mimic Iverson, catching the eye of then-NBA commissioner David Stern. And on Oct. 17, 2005, Stern instituted a dress code that prohibited such clothing in favor of business casual attire for NBA players when they are on the sideline or coming to the arena. The dress code became relaxed over the years and ended in 2020.

The post SPORTS HISTORY IN BLACK: NBA introduces dress code to crack down on urban wear first appeared on NABJ Black News & Views.

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