Minus plaid skirts and bobby socks, NBA players, as of Monday, will soon have something in common with thousands of school children forced to wear itchy clothes - a dress code.
NBA commissioner David Stern announced that players would be required to wear business-casual attire - collared shirts, slacks and appropriate shoes - for all team-related functions. That includes trips to and from games, and press conferences.
"Appropriate attire" does not include sneakers or basketball shoes and, of course, no jerseys. After all, what could be more inappropriate for a basketball player to wear than a jersey and kicks?
Also deemed inappropriate by the league: bling.
No longer are players allowed to don chains, pendants or medallions over their clothes. Players will also not be permitted to listen to music to and from events, as headphones are among the banned headwear.
Due to the amount of corporate sponsorship, the league understandably has the right to ask its players to present themselves in a manner becoming of their employers.
But trying to completely change the off-court image of the game in one fell swoop seems excessive, if not impossible. What's next, outlawing braids in favor of a mandatory crew cut?
