What do Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire and D-Wade have in common? It’s the F-word

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The NBA playoffs have me thinking about -- fashion. What F-word did you think I meant?

So I’m ruminating over NBA fashion. Or the lack thereof. I mean, in my opinion, basketball players used to be the clowns of the court, dressed once upon a time in painfully short shorts, long, bony bare legs sticking out. Then times changed and they wore ridiculously long shorts, droopy even. And tank tops ... kind of tank tops, anyway. I mean, honestly, basketball uniforms are not flattering on most human beings. I’d pretty much rather look at football and hockey players, covered top to toes with helmets and pads.

But off the court is another story. Maybe because they have to wear such ugly duds on-court, NBA players are a super-stylish, suave bunch off the court.

Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire and Dwayne Wade are all fabulously fashionable -- among a growing number of league stars who are shopping with designers, hiring stylists, making best-dressed lists and starting their own clothing lines. Our Adam Tschorn -- around here we call him ‘Mr. Laker’ -- looks at how far the pro-ballers have come, sartorially speaking. Click here to read more.

--Susan Denley

Left photo: Amare Stoudemire. Credit: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

Right photo: Kobe Bryant in his on-court look, which is drastically different from his off-court style. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times