Getty Images NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas
If you’ve payed attention to NBA fashion over the last 30-35 years, Jeff Hamilton jackets have been a staple.
The Lakers wore them after they won their NBA Championships in the early 2000s with dominant center, Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant.
Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman wore Hamilton’s jackets during the 90s, as well.
Jeff Hamilton doesn’t just make jackets for championship basketball teams; in facts he’s even designed jackets for Madonna, the cast of In Living Color and for Michael Jackson.
Hamilton checked in to the Scoop B Radio Podcast and shared some of his experiences and also weighed in on why Detroit Pistons Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas deserved to be on the 90s dream team.
Check out a snippet from our Q&A on the Scoop B Radio Podcast below:
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: You know it all, you know it by heart. The Dream Team in Barcelona, you gave them their jacket, then in return they gave you their jerseys?
Jeff Hamilton: That’s correct.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Did you know then what you know now about how revered that team was back in 1992?
Jeff Hamilton: I did and I was so excited. I knew that I was watching history at the time and I worked a lot when I was in Barcelona. I would work, have dinner, go to events before the game. It was a very special moment. I was in the locker room. The games were played very late, they were played at like 10 or 11 o’clock local time in Barcelona, because people wanted to be able to broadcast here in America at the right time. It was very special another great time in my life.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: What was Charles Barkley like back then?
Jeff Hamilton: He’s great and will always be a great friend of mine. Charismatic and charming guy. I love Charles. I met him when he was playing in Philly.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I feel like in basketball currently, it’s like this passing of the torch. Obviously LeBron was given the torch from Kobe when he retired. Wade recently retired and LeBron is at that stage where he’s the OG he has to pass that torch on to the other guys coming behind him. Take a step-back to 1992 what energy did you get from being around that team with Magic, Isaiah, and Michael. Did you see similarities between then and now?
Jeff Hamilton: Isaiah didn’t make the team unfortunately but he deserved to be on there
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: As a fan how was it watching them?
Jeff Hamilton: In my 20s, you know being a hardcore Lakers fan, I was a Magic [Johnson] fan, you know. When Michael came to the league I was like, ‘look you couldn’t be a Michael Jordan fan as much as a Kobe fan.’ Nothing compares to Michael. I still think Michael is the greatest player of all-time because of the fundamentals. Physically, LeBron and Kobe might have more, but Michael not only had the physical talent, but he had the personality and class. The sense of urgency, desire and eye of the tiger. That’s the reason why Michael is the GOAT. Michael was the start and still until this day, I still don’t see anybody who is going to dethrone him as the greatest of all-time. I don’t care how good Mike Tyson was to me, Ali was always the greatest. It didn’t matter, because you know you’re getting the whole full package.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Late night TV host Arsenio Hall called you a nineties fashion icon and said you were the emperor of the leather jacket. That’s crazy.
Jeff Hamilton: Always a great honor in 1991 I always heard you weren’t a star until you had a leather jacket. Interesting story with Madonna I can help you. He asked if I could make her a jacket I said sure it’s Madonna i’ll have it ready for her.