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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 19 May 2018
Houston’s P.J. Tucker’s unique style a hit on, off the court

By KRISTIE RIEKEN way you dress should be
Associated Press fun. Wearing stuff that peo-
HOUSTON (AP) — P.J. Tuck- ple don’t normally wear or
er wasn’t a high draft pick wouldn’t particularly think is
and actually is undersized their style, I love that.
by NBA standards. “I think that’s fun and I think
At 6-foot-6, the Houston everybody should do it.”
Rockets forward’s intensity When he debuted his Bal-
and defensive grit helps main jacket before Game
him overachieve against 1 of the conference finals,
taller opponents on a which he paired with black
nightly basis. skinny jeans and Saint Lau-
Off the court, Tucker also rent boots, not everyone
defies the norm. was a fan.
He has spent years curat- “’You’re like a bull fighter
ing a wardrobe that has in the jacket,’” he said his
helped his style ascend to teammates told him. “May-
the upper echelons of fash- be. I love it though. It’s fun-
ion. ny.”
Tucker was in the Balmain One person who’s totally
store in Paris during this on board with Tucker’s style
year’s NBA All-Star break is teammate James Hard-
when the manager told en. The pair often arrive at
him there was a special the same time and have
one-of-a-kind piece that Houston Rockets’ P.J. Tucker arrives for Game 2 of the team’s NBA basketball Western Conference turned arriving at the arena
would be perfect for him. finals against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, May 17, 2018, in Houston. into a mini fashion show .
When Tucker first laid eyes Associated Press “He loves walking in the
on the beaded haute cou- otherwise,” Goldstein said. the older men dressed was But the star of the collec- arena with the swaggiest
ture jacket at the French “But when he told me he incredible.” tion was his final look: a ‘fit,” Harden said. “That’s
luxury fashion house he had that jacket, one that Like his game on the court, made-to-measure plaid what he does and I’m here
loved it, but was certain it both of us thought we each his fashion wasn’t immedi- Gucci two-button suit with for it. I have his back 1,000
wouldn’t fit his muscular had a unique jacket that ately embraced back in cropped pants, which he percent.”
245-pound frame. nobody else had, I gained the United States. wore without a shirt. While Tucker doesn’t mind
It did. a new respect for him.” “I would come home in “It’s really like a 70s suit, that pictures of his pre-
“Everybody in fashion Tucker has also gained his the summertime and peo- with the large cuffs, with game outfits have become
knows of those must-have share of respect on the ple would look at me like: the huge lapels,” he said. a hit on social media, he in-
pieces where you’re just court. ‘What in the world does he “Nobody would wear that sists he’d dress exactly the
like: ‘I’ve got to have it,’” He scored a playoff career- have on,’” said Tucker, who a year or two ago but now same way if no one was
Tucker said. “And I had to high 22 points Wednesday breezed into the room to I love it.” photographing him.
have this.” night in a win over the talk with AP about fashion He said there’s nothing he “It’s just me and how I
Then he learned the price Golden State Warriors in with a coffee cup in one won’t wear and scoffs at dress,” he said. “I could
of the black and gold open Game 2 of the Western hand, two clothing bags people who think he should never just throw on a sweat-
front jacket: $25,000. Conference finals. He is an draped over the other arm limit his wardrobe because suit and go to a game. No.
“I had no idea. I was like: integral part of the Rock- and a large Louis Vuitton he’s such a big guy. It puts me in that mindset
‘Oh all right, that’s cool,” ets’ success with his ability duffel bag slung over his “People get so scared to try that I’m going to work. I’m
he said with a nervous to shoot the 3 and hold his shoulder. things,” he said. “I think the taking care of business.”q
laugh. “I was at the point of own in the low post. Tucker, who describes his
no return.” But Tucker had to work style as adventurous and
But before Tucker could to find an NBA home. He spontaneous, beamed
wear his most expensive wasn’t a highly regarded while explaining that he
fashion investment, he draft pick out of Texas; To- assembled three looks for
learned there were actu- ronto selected him in the the interview. The first was
ally two of his “one-of-a- second round in the 2006 what he calls his “any-
kind jacket” when he saw draft. He spent just one year where outfit,” a floral-print
NBA super fan and eccen- in the NBA before heading short-sleeved button-down
tric 78-year-old millionaire to Europe to play. Dries Van Noten shirt with
James Goldstein sport- It was during those 4 1/2 coordinating cream-col-
ing the same piece while years overseas that he ored pants from the same
courtside at a game . started taking his fashion designer, and Nike Air Max
“He came up and told me seriously. 1 shoes with a brown suede
he has the same jacket,” “It wasn’t a moment,” accent on the toe.
Goldstein told The Associ- he said. “It was just being His summer ensemble fea-
ated Press on Wednesday there. It started out with tured a blue and white
while wearing a different suits. Seeing European guys striped Balenciaga shirt
Balmain jacket. “I couldn’t wear suits was incredible. adorned with piece of strik-
believe it.” And it wasn’t all like the big ing yellow fabric that ran
A stunned Goldstein didn’t fashion house expensive down half the length of the
realize that Tucker was so suits, it was like simple stuff back and white Alexander
into fashion. but the way the older men McQueen trousers. He fin-
“I’ve never seen him except dressed in Europe just abso- ished off that look with the Houston Rockets’ P.J. Tucker’s most prized and expensive
on the basketball court so I lutely amazed me. impossible-to-get Off-White fashion possession is a $25,000 haute couture beaded Balmain
don’t know how he dresses “In Italy, in France the way X Nike Air Force 1 shoes. jacket, shown Tuesday May 15, 2018. Associated Press