TNT will exclusively televise the first-ever NBA fashion show on Saturday at 6:30pm ET. The one-hour NBA All-Star All-Style show is the latest venture from Cavaliers F LeBron James and his Spring Hill Productions firm, which is serving as executive producer for the show along with with Turner Sports and IMG. It will include a runway competition featuring Rockets G James Harden, Warriors G Klay Thompson, Mavericks F Chandler Parsons, Kings C DeMarcus Cousins, T'Wolves G Zach LaVine and other NBAers. Supermodels and style experts also will participate. The competition will be taped Friday in N.Y. (Turner Sports). In Cleveland, Joe Vardon noted TNT's Shaquille O'Neal will serve as the show's emcee, while actor Kevin Hart is "slated to provide backstage commentary." TNT's Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will "serve as judges with GQ magazine style editor Will Welch and others" (CLEVELAND.com, 2/10). GQ's John Jannuzzi notes the competition will be "three rounds -- boardroom attire, what to wear on a night out, and what to wear to the game." After each round, the panel of judges will "decide who advances" to the next round (GQ.com, 2/10). WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY's Jean Palmieri noted participants will "walk the runway with a model and a stylist." IMG-repped models "scheduled to participate include Erin Heatherton, Chanel Iman, Rachel Hilbert and Shanina Shaik" (WWD.com, 2/10).
CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN: In Ft. Worth, Dwain Price wrote Parsons has "done some fashion work in the past, so that should give him a leg up on the competition." Japanese fans even "voted him the most handsome player in the NBA." Parsons: "I initially didn’t plan on going to New York, but I’m going to go for a couple of days before I get out of there. But it’ll be fun, man" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 2/10). In Chicago, Phil Thompson noted WNBA Sky F Elena Delle Donne, who will be a judge, said, "It's going to be a lot of fun. I have a big interest in fashion too. I'm sure Barkley will be hilarious" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/11). YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Freeman wrote, "Barkley is the last person who should be judging anyone's fashion choices, what with his poorly tailored pants, billowy cuts, commitment to earth tones, and belief in stubby-lapeled three-button jackets." Smith at least "tries to look nice, even if he sometimes goes a bit too garish," and Delle Donne "knows a thing or two about how to look put together" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/10).
DON CHERRY WOULD BE JEALOUS: ESPN's "SportsCenter" this morning ran a segment on injured Rockets C Dwight Howard's colorful suits he has been wearing while sidelined. He said during last night's Rockets-Clippers game, "I love wearing suits, I wore them growing up in high school. I know last night everybody said my suit was like a deck of cards mixed with a kaleidoscope, so I got a lot of laughs about that. But I think I'm pretty clean tonight.” ESPN's Cari Champion said, “This weekend, I expect to see the most daring looks. There will be a fashion show produced by LeBron James. ... The perfect opportunity for Dwight” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 2/12). ESPN’s Max Kellerman said of Howard's jacket from Tuesday, “If you have epilepsy, take your eyes off the screen.” ESPN’s Michelle Beadle: “That is amazingly brutal.” ESPN’s Marcellus Wiley said Howard got the jacket “from Bed, Bath & Beyond” (“SportsNation,” ESPN2, 2/11).
