It's About Time Fashion Stopped Sleeping on Women's Basketball
New York bustled more than usual on Monday night, especially in the Brooklyn borough. As Dior staged a runway show at the Brooklyn Museum, the 2024 WNBA Draft unfolded at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, presenting the women's basketball league's top prospects...and plenty of immaculate outfits too.
Promising (and stylish) players graced the WNBA Draft orange carpet, painted in the league's signature hue. Angel Reese — picked up by the Chicago Sky team — arrived in glittery glory, courtesy of a shimmery hooded dress by Bronx and Banco.
Another new Sky member, Kamilla Cardoso, became the woman in red in a classic pantsuit. Then, there was the draft's number one pick, Caitlin Clark, who was snapped up by the Indiana Fever and dressed in head-to-toe Prada for the occasion.
Clark's Prada moment not only looked really good, but it also made history — it was the luxury house's first time dressing an NBA or WNBA player for the draft. Ever. Perhaps Clark's first fashion deal is closer than we thought.
There were plenty of other style moments there to quench fashion folk's thirst, from Paige Bueckers' all-white Louis Vuitton flex (Virgil Abloh's Nike Air Force 1 collab on foot) to Rickea Jackson, who gave us two equally stunning looks for one draft. Oh, and I can't forget Nika Mühl's exceptional accessories: her custom Gabby Elan grills and Gentle Monster x Mugler sunnies.
The NBA and WNBA drafts are usually formal events, giving players an excuse to show out in their best looks for this major next step in their basketball careers. Previous WNBA Drafts past have been pretty stylish affairs, but 2024's event hits significantly harder in the fashion department.
You don't need binoculars or some stats to see that more eyes than ever are on women's basketball. My own Twitter account (unfortunately Elon Musk's X) is mostly Rihanna updates and fashion content. Still, even a few women's basketball things snuck onto my feed this season (and I definitely tuned in).
Brands like Nike and Reebok have tapped into the noise, adding prospective talents like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to their already-stacked rosters. Of course, sports labels securing sports talent is expected. But where are the fashion deals?
In comparison to their male counterparts, women in sports are overlooked in several categories, including pay and brand deals. There's still much work to be done, but the industry is slowly but finally waking up to the league's potential, it seems.
Take the 2024 WNBA Draft, for instance. Many brand names shared the orange carpet with players like Louis Vuitton and Prada. It remains unclear whether other labels — outside of Prada — directly dressed the hoopers. But seeing these unmistakable logos and brand names looking great on these talented young women is a big ring, ring alone.
Well, time to pick up the phone, fashion labels. It's about time that women players — fly coaches too — finally get their well-deserved fashion placements.
