Wizards F Kelly Oubre Jr. during Tuesday's game against the Nets "wore a red Supreme leg sleeve under his ... shorts during the first half," but was forced to take it off during halftime, according to Candace Buckner of the WASHINGTON POST. Oubre said, "I got informed through one of our trainers. He was like, 'switch leg sleeves.' So I switched." Supreme is a N.Y.-based fashion company, and Oubre "felt he did nothing wrong because he said the leg sleeve matched NBA on-court apparel." He said, "It had an NBA logo on it. It has a Nike sign on it. NBA is sponsored by Nike. It's just Supreme, you know. So, I don't know really what's the quarrel." He added, "They shouldn't have dropped it if we can't wear it and it has an NBA logo on it. I play in the NBA, right. I should be able to wear the logo of what I represent" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/13). ESPN's Rachel Nichols said, "I'm very curious to see what the NBA does here, whether they fine him or not. Otherwise, we're going to see little billboards on the leg all the time" ("The Jump," ESPN, 12/13).
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: GQ's Jake Woolf noted this "isn't the first time Supreme products have been worn by players on court." Then-Lakers G Nick Young in '13, when he was a Nike endorser, "wore the Versace-inspired Nike x Supreme Foamposites during a game." But it "made some waves." The sleeve was "produced in collaboration with Nike and the NBA, but its most recognizable feature is clearly Supreme's logo -- which was on full display when Oubre decided to wear it on his leg" against the Nets. Players and observers also have "yet to learn whether or not the league actually disapproves of the sleeve" (GQ.com, 12/13).
