2016 NBA Draft Style Guide: Do’s and don’ts

Don’t forget your shoes.

Two years, ago, Andrew Wiggins walked across the stage as the first overall pick in a jacket with a bold and duvet-like black and white floral print. It wasn’t the Kansas star’s best moment, but it was an applaudable and brave try at being fashion-forward.  Perhaps just as bad as his Bed-Bath-and-Beyond Blazer was his choice of footwear, a sockless black slipper. Was Wiggins headed on a flight to Cleveland or a magic carpet ride? And this is the problem with many NBA Draft outfits. They don’t consider what the camera can capture as they walk across the stage, shoes and all.

Take a scan through the shoes of last year’s rookie class and you can seen the full spectrum from Men’s Warehouse black leather rentals, to the red leather wingtips, and even a pair of silver spike-studded slippers. The stegosaurus-slip-ons have since been a favorite for the past two NFL Drafts and are extinct by my book, but they still speak to some of the bolder statements that can be made with footwear. Just be sure to match the belt color with the shoe and consider a bright or pattern sock if the classic black leather oxford is the only option for size 14-and-a-halfs.

Next: Maester Cauley-Stein