The sports world and expressive clothing have always gone hand in hand. From the times when players, and especially coaches, put on their best suits to show off their style, to the days when the likes of Allen Iverson and Dennis Rodman defied the norms and brought some of that good old "hood" swagger, a player's clothes have always been a reflection of his personality.
Modern NBA stars are no different. With increased exposure and social media presence, some players go above and beyond to put together the best possible fit every time they walk through that tunnel.
However, former Chicago Bulls big man Eddy Curry recently talked about one guy who often goes under the radar, both because of his skill on the court and his "ahead of the curve" way of dressing. That guy was Ben Gordon .
"Bucket on the court for sure. What he did on the court, BG was unreal. He was unreal. But he probably was one of the best dressed I ever saw in the league," Curry opened up in a sitdown with Chicago Sports Network.
Curry was playing his final season with the Bulls when the franchise selected the sweet-shooting guard with the third overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. On the court, Ben quickly showed the world what he was really capable of and went on to win the Sixth Man of the Year award right out of the gate.
Apparently, his off-the-court style was just as electric.
Sure, there weren't nearly as many cameras and social media posts back then to really confirm this, but even Gordon's draft-day outfit showed that BG indeed knew how to put an outfit together. Gordon rocked a classic gray suit highlighted by a bright pink silk tie, leaving little doubt that fashion, just like getting buckets, was in his blood.
And if we are to listen to Curry and his testimony, BG really was ahead of his time.
"I'm not gonna lie, BG out. He was putting in work. Even from down to like subtle pieces he would wear. The nice change, the nice watch. He knew, he came in… BG was ahead of his time when it came to fashion," he added.
Indeed, times were different back then. Both in terms of fashion and the style of basketball being played.
Gordon, a career 40.1% shooter from deep on "just" 3.9 attempts per game, became one of many players who found themselves somewhere in the transition between an era dominated by big men and today's game, where literally everyone on the court has the green light to let it fly.
Who knows, had he entered the league just a decade later, we might be talking about Gordon as one of those deadly shooters perfectly suited for the modern NBA.
In a way, there is a nice parallel between Gordon's game and his fashion. His outfits stood out to those who got a closer look, just like his three-level scoring and deadly shooting touch stood out on the hardwood. Maybe Curry was onto something. BG simply happened to be ahead of the curve in more ways than one.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
