Before the first home game of the season, Utah Jazz equipment manager Adam Klauke hung a clean, white jersey in each locker.
Rudy Gobert wanted a little something extra with ESPN there to broadcast the Jazz’s matchup with the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
“I like to play with the colors,” Gobert said, “and do some things that are a little different from the ordinary.”
So this time Gobert turned to Kickstradomis, the Los Angeles-based artist who customizes sneakers for Gobert and other NBA players. The artist hand painted a pair of size 20 sneakers, covering them in blue and green and Gobert’s No. 27.
“On that one, I let him do his thing,” Gobert said. “Sometimes I ask him to be more specific. But mostly I like to tell him what I like and what I don’t like and let him do his thing. It’s just a little detail but it’s fun to feel like you have a little extra, a little extra sauce.”
The NBA wants its players to feel good standing out, too. League officials this season are allowing players to wear shoes of any color, loosening past restrictions and providing another way for players to express themselves more on the court. And the NBA, arguably the most stylish league in the world, plans to take full advantage.
“We’ve got some guys in the league—it’s good to allow them to show their personalities and to be able to reach into different markets,” Utah Jazz center Ekpe Udoh said. “Man, we’ve got some characters when it comes to style.”
Like Gobert, Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio turned to Kickstradomis for a custom look, replete with hand-painted notes, for last week’s home opener against Golden State. Donovan Mitchell has already shown off a number of different looks, including a pair of bright red Adidas Pro Bounce 2018 Lows. Alec Burks, meanwhile, has chosen to honor a family member’s fight with breast cancer by wearing hot pink Adidas Dame 4 sneakers.
Players say the loosening of the restrictions is another example of the NBA’s willingness to let its players be themselves and speak their minds.
“We’re in a day and age where we have a platform,” Jazz guard Danté Exum said. “We can express how we feel and who we want to be as people, not just as basketball players. I think that’s what fans want to see. They don’t want to just see a guy who plays basketball every night; they want to see the real person. If we can express that in some way, whether through our shoes or something else, why not?”
Within the Jazz ranks, there is an ongoing competition.
“You’ve got some guys who have some style on the team,” forward Royce O’Neale said. “AB, Thabo, Jae, me, Donovan. There’s kind of a little competition. We always want to stand out.”
O’Neale, who has been infatuated with sneakers since he got his first pair of white and red Jordan 13s, has declared himself the winner.
“I’ve got to work my magic,” O’Neale said. “I’ve got a wide variety of kicks. I like to bring out stuff I haven’t worn in years. I’ve got some heat in the closet.”
Burks—who tends to be flashier off the court than on it, with an affinity for high-end Balenciaga sneakers—has a different take.
“You’re talkin’ to him,” he said when asked about the most stylish player on the team. “You know that. It ain’t nothin’ up for grabs. It’s obvious.”
When it comes to sneakers, Mitchell might have something to say about that.
The standout guard used to borrow shoes from his Louisville teammate Ray Spalding. “I would wear his shoes out so it looked like I had them,” Mitchell admitted. “Now he’s asking me.”
Mitchell’s closet has transformed over the past year.
“I didn’t own my first pair of Yeezys until this year,” Mitchell said. “I loved them. I always wanted them. I just didn’t have the money for them. Everybody asks me if I’ve always been a sneakerhead. No. I was never a sneakerhead until I had the money to be a sneakerhead.”
He estimates he has between 250–300 shoes in his closet.
“Now I don’t even have to pay for them. They’re just there,” Mitchell said. “There are shoes in my closet that people would go crazy over. That’s where my giving back comes in. I might never wear these shoes, but some kids would go crazy for them.”
The second-year guard could have some more surprises in store when it comes to his shoe choices this season.
“Just in time,” Mitchell said when asked about the league’s lift on sneaker restrictions. “I’m going to leave it at that.”
Sefolosha appreciates the league’s willingness to let its players express themselves through fashion and other avenues.
“They’ve been great,” the veteran forward said. “I think it’s important for everybody to be able to express themselves in one way or another. I think the fans like it and it doesn’t hurt the game at all. The league has been good with giving rules and within those rules, you can express yourself. It’s the same thing with the social justice movement.”
Sefolosha won’t be making any major changes to his footwear this season, though. He’ll still be the only guy on the floor wearing Nike Air Max 90s.
“I already went with an unorthodox kind of shoe for basketball,” Sefolosha said. “I think I’m going to stick with it just because it feels comfortable to me. It’s a stylish shoe, too. I really like the style of it. But I think I’m going to bring some more colorways out this year.”
Not every player will take advantage of the new fashion freedom.
“I could not care less,” Joe Ingles said. “I’m going to wear white shoes with whatever color Klauke gives me. I’m not very picky. As long as I can tie them up and they stay on my feet, I’m good.”
The only shoe that might pique Ingles’ interest? A pair of canvas Chuck Taylors.
“I wish,” he said with a laugh. “I’d probably average 30 if I could play in them. And I’d break every bone in my foot.”