Seeing as how last week was unofficially Patty Mills Week here on A Stern Warning, I though I’d wrap things up with a very special Patty Mills edition of NBA Style Alert. This post is, of course, dedicated to Mookie, the editor of this fine blog, whose infectious enthusiasm for all things Patty is absolutely contagious.
[Photo: Dime Magazine]
Patty Mills’ unbridled enthusiasm while rarely playing early in the NBA season captured the hearts of Blazers fans (and loads of other folks, including the NBA on TNT crew) during a season that can thus far best be described as “bizarre.” However, he’s also proved a nice surprise on the court as well, out-playing tightly-wound rookie Armon Johnson for the role of backup point guard. However, a little digging, and it turns out there’s a whole other side of Patty that’s been overlooked. From serving as a model for an Australian activewear brand to running around San Antonio wearing an Iron Man mask, everyone’s favorite speedy little Australian point guard has a style all his own that matches his effervescent personality (…click through to read more).
Patty Mills: Activewear Model
[Photo: SpaderClothing.com]
Yes, you read that right. I certainly did a triple-take upon discovering that Patty modeled for an Australian brand known as Spader.
[Photos: SpaderClothing.Blogspot.com]
Frankly, I’m not quite sure what exactly their shirts and hoodies are all about, though they’re kind of appealing nevertheless — and I have absolutely no clue what a “Spader” is. I chalk this up to it being yet another thing about our antipodean friends that I just don’t understand — along with platypus and Vegemite.
Patty Mills: Red Shoe Wearer
[Photos: Oregonlive.com & Yahoo/AP]
Everyone knows that red shoes are far more interesting and exciting than shoes of any other color. (I should know — I own no fewer than seven pairs of red shoes.) Red shoes make you run faster, jump higher, look cooler and dance better. They’re virtual pixie dust for the feet.
However, on the Trail Blazers team — a team in which red seems like the natural sneaker color, the only player I’ve noticed consistently sporting red shoes is Patty Mills. Sure, Brandon Roy wears them for nationally televised games. LaMarcus Aldridge dons them on occasion as well, but no other Trail Blazers busts out the red sneakers game-in and game-out. This is reason number 35 I’m annoyed Patty didn’t start playing regularly until recently — it took me until now to notice the red kicks. This is important information we were denied far too long.
Patty Mills: Vest Watch 2011 Anticipator
[Photo: Via @Patty_Mills on Twitter]
[Photo: NBA.com]
[Photo: St. Mary’s Magazine]
Patty’s obviously got an eye for the trends, because while 2010 was the year of Cardigan Watch, I’ve had the vest pegged as the random NBA fashion trend of 2011. (For the uninitiated, random NBA fashion trends are weird clothing/hair/tattoo/etc that sweep across the league like “flu-like symptoms” sweep through the Orlando Magic — I believe this is a result of an insidious combination of too much time in confined environments like airplanes and locker rooms and too high of credit limit. Examples of previous trends include: faux-hawks, fake army sweaters, epaulets, hooded blazers and purple V-neck sweaters.) As you can see, Patty’s been all over the vest, both the puffy and non-puffy varieties, since at least 2008. (Yes, #VestWatch2011 is coming soon to a Twitter feed near you, I’m certain.)
[Photo: Oregonlive.com]
Random Style Blips
- Cardigan Watch 2010 continues!
Yes, that’s a cardigan hanging in the locker behind Patty while he’s giving a post-game interview following his very nice game against the Phoenix Suns.
Even Chris Bosh’s cardigan looks like the odd man out, with the cables, mock collar and zipper, rather than the shawl collared look of which his teammates are so fond.
- Really? Why do NBA players (and other misguided dudes) continue to think the plastic, over-sized Steve Urkel glasses are a good look? They’re not. They’re just weird — and not in a charming, quirky way. Trust me on this one.
- While I’m sure the vest is destined to take off, I’m starting to see a disturbing trend of windbreakers showing up in place of blazers in post-game press conferences. They’re not really the same thing, guys.
- Also, oh my, zippery jackets…
- Dirk cut his hair immediately following my dismay at the fact that he’d entered the season looking like a hippie. This is pretty disappointing, as I was looking forward to an entire season of hilarity with this shaggy hair and too-white, possibly capped, teeth combination.
[Photo: AP]
- I’m probably late to the party on this one, but when did Kevin Love get braces? And, are the any occupational hazards related to wearing braces on the court (even with mouth guards).
[Photo: Yahoo/AP]
- Nate Robinson: Lumberjack? (via @nbamusings) You can take the boy out of Seattle, but you can’t take Seattle out of the boy…
Sarah Moon is a Portland, Oregon-based writer who spends way too much time contemplating the style hits and misses of professional athletes, especially those in the NBA. She loves rookies, misfits, weirdos, free-spirits, underdogs and anyone who wears their heart on their sleeve, and is the proud originator of the #MorePattyPlease hashtag. Follow Sarah’s thoughts on sports, life in Portland, the awesomeness of tator tots and other random musings and rants on Twitter @SarahSMoon.
