TWR NBA All-Star Recap
I like slam dunks, take me to the hoop / My favorite play is the alley-oop / I like the pick-and-roll, I like the give-and-go / 'Cause it's basketball, uh, Mister Kurtis Blow
The biggest event in Men’s Dressing took place this past weekend as NBA All-Star Weekend descended upon sunny Los Angeles. The players put on their best fits, the brands launched their biggest heat, and the house was packed with celebs taking it all in. We’re recapping all the Sneakers and Garms from ASW in this special edition of The War Report.
💥TUESDAY MEANS WAR💥
NBA All Star Wrap Up
The Sneakers
The focus of every NBA All-Star Weekend is the major sneaker releases. Every brand brings their biggest heaters, dropping coveted collaborations and limited numbers or announcing their New Shit. This year was a really fun battle between Nike and adidas. The Top Two both went Hard and it’s impossible to say who won, but the Three Stripes may have had the edge thanks to this Banging Hellstar tee, and the rest of the collection, in collaboration with All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards. Read on for all the hits and misses of ASW sneakers.
The Ant Edwards Hellstar AE2 collection is exceptional. The F&F pair he wore on court propelled him to the MVP. You’re not gonna get those, but the desert camo public release is stunning in its own right, and has a corresponding Superstar along with cartoony 90s graphic tees.
James Harden didn’t make the game this weekend, but adidas still cooked up something special just in case. Willy Chavarria put his spin on the Harden 10, linking with the Compton Cowboys for a pair of Harden’s colored up like a pair of ostentatious Cowboy boots. These Los Angeles cowboys have their own ranch in Compton and use horseback riding and culture to engage with the local community, provide alternatives to rampant local gang culture, and break negative stereotypes often held against Black Americans. Big Ups Chavarria and Harden for dedicating their platform to the people doing Good for the community.
For those that still don’t believe Devin Booker is the coolest hooper in the league, we simply ask one question: is anyone else collaborating with Hiroshi Fujiwara? The Fragment makeup of the Chapter 2 is Book’s new one in all its glory, highlighting the Spiridon influence with mesh upper and all the hallmarks of Hiroshi. The pair drove around LA giving out pairs, making a stop at Thrasher’s Bust or Bail at the Santa Monica triple set. Book is a skater at heart, there just ain’t no doubt about it anymore.
Jaylen Brown LMAO. This fella wants to be Kyrie so bad. He’s just a Wacker version in every way, from the forced cringe takes to these gross shoes.
Jalen Brunson has taken the challenge of carrying on the Kobe line, and he came correct in a glistening edition of the Kobe 3, possibly the best Kobe sneaker ever. It might’ve been the shoes that helped him lead KAT and Allan Houston to the win for Team Knicks in the Shooting Stars contest.
The Klaw debuted his new signature Kawhi 5, a nice modern design that falls somewhere between a speedy hoop shoe and the Numeric 440 v2.
Klutch Sports launched their LA edition collab with New Balance AC Runner. The AC Runner is an overall Slapper of a sneaker (this sunburst colorway is terrific), so why choose Lebron’s agent as the launch collaborator? Who is clamoring for a sneaker designed by Adele’s fiance?
The Fits
The All-Star Outfits were sometimes Swagged Out, other times Doing Too Much, but generally Cracking. We’d expect nothing less from the best dressed players and fans in sports.
Karl-Anthony Towns had at least one fan of his fit in Nikola Jokic, who lost his mind upon seeing a horse on the back of his jacket. That man truly does love horses, huh? And evidently Jokic was right about it being “a Serbian thing,” as the ALD x Jeff Hamilton jawn takes inspiration from revered St. George, a revered figure in Serbia and wider Slavic Christianity. Weird choice, KAT!
Devin Booker came through in style as always, running a custom USA hat and letting that thang dangle from his wrist. Yeah, he’s shooting film. Yeah, that makes him Tight. We dare ya to say something negative about the King of the Tunnel!
Melo ran What The Books, shunning his Jordan deal in favor of repping the King of the Tunnel. We’d recommend cinching the hems on the cargos, but otherwise he killed the fit with some big ol’ pants and the Stone Island jacket. OG still knows how to Stunt.
Chet Holmgren continues to stun in iconic costumes from the hit film Grandma’s Boy.
This year’s Nike Warm ups were 10/10. A massive graphic inspired by the 90s nostalgia boom, a fire color scheme, and yet subtle enough to allow everyone’s sneakers to be the focal point. Bravo, Swoosh.
Old man Dame dressed like Ass, surely trying to ingratiate himself with The Youth. Looking silly, man!
Giannis went a bit OD and outfitted his children in head-to-toe Giannis photos. We’re admittedly not fans of shameless self-promotion, but even the biggest braggarts have to agree that this is wildly over the top! Damn, dude. Giannis is really not shying away from loving himself lately!
In this episode of Stylists Gone Wild: Shai LOL. Always the worst dressed walking through like he’s a Fashion Gawd. Dressing to get noticed instead of Really Dressing. The pants and jacket are bad on their own, but the animal tail choker sets it apart as one of the Silliest Costumes the tunnel has ever seen. SGA is devoid of a Soldier’s Soul. You ain’t a killer, you still learnin’ how to walk!
Steph has been turning heads with all kinds of vintage heat and current kicks as he takes advantage of getting the boot from Under Armour to manufacture some off-court excitement. So what’s his choice for the biggest sneaker stage of the year? Klay Thompson Antas. All silver. Rare airball by the Splash Brothers.
Barack Obama’s been ramping up his public statements and appearances lately, perhaps finally realizing it’s time to Do Something about the deranged fascist in the White House. He sat courtside with the former First Lady as you’d expect, a fit of dark colors and slim proportions looking Very Proper for a man in his mid-60s, let alone a Politician (broadly known for dressing like Shit). We love the dark navy zip-up bomber jacket. We hate the no-show socks and the nondescript socks. He must’ve been on cloud nine when he got to dap up Devin Booker during the game.
Spike Lee left his typical Knicks fit at home and repped Palestine in LA. His sweater and bag looked like the iconic Palestinian keffiyeh, and the strap of the bag carried the Palestinian flag just in case there was any doubt about the inspiration. Free Palestine.
Kyrie Irving has been a bit controversial in recent years, to put it lightly. We appreciate that he’s been one of the few athletes addressing the Genocide in Gaza. He sported a PRESS tee at ASW, showing support for the journalists doing the important work embedded in Gaza and sharing the stories from the ground. Many have lost their lives simply for telling the truth of the war, and it’s wonderful to see someone with a massive platform standing with them.
You’re now up to speed on the latest from the battlefield. Use this intel wisely and pass it on to others who may need our guidance. We can’t win the war unless we’re in it together. TWR sticker packs available here.