Getty Zach LaVine is averaging 24.6 points for the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine is one of the best players in the NBA. The Washington native is averaging 24.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Bulls, who are in second place in the Eastern Conference behind the stellar play of their two-time All-Star and DeMar DeRozan.
Along with being a superstar basketball player, LaVine is also a stylish dresser, which is why he partnered with Klarna, a leading global retail bank, payments and shopping service.
On February 15, Klarna unveiled “The Klarna All-Star Vault,” an interactive activation celebrating the connection between fashion and professional basketball throughout its 75-year history. From February 18-20, the pop-up in Cleveland Public Square will bring fans closer to the game with one-of-a-kind merchandise giveaways, fan experiences and access to some of basketball’s most coveted sneakers during one of the sport’s biggest weekends. The 2022 NBA All-Star Game is in Cleveland this year.
Fans around the world will be able to access the experience digitally to choose LaVine’s style destiny, explore a gallery of iconic game-worn sneakers curated by Stadium Goods, shop basketball-inspired merchandise, earn rewards and be entered for giveaways online at KlarnaVault.com.
LaVine spoke with Heavy about his partnership with Klarna. The two-time Slam Dunk champion also talked about the Bulls proving doubters wrong, his all-time Chicago starting lineup, how he’s managed to recover from his ACL injury, the one and only Michael Jordan and much more.
LaVine Talks Klarna and Fashion
Heavy: Can you talk about your partnership with Klarna. Why did they appeal to you?
LaVine: Going into All-Star, Klarna — being able to partner with the Bulls — to where I’m able to pick out outfits and have fans vote for it on their platform and on Instagram, it’s really cool for me because now I get to interact with the fans. They get to see a different side of me. Klarna has been great and I can’t wait to continue to do some more work with them.
Heavy: Have you always been into fashion or is that something that kind of started once you got to the league?
LaVine: I feel like it started once I got to the league and even a couple years into it. I just started diversifying what means a lot to me and being able to go out there and be culturally relevant — share my stories through fashion — I think is a really cool thing.
Heavy: So are we going to see you rock any outfits that Russell Westbrook does anytime soon?
LaVine: (Laughs) I mean everybody has their own style. Russ is definitely a pioneer in the fashion game, but he’s been doing it for a long time and he’s been doing it to who he is. For me personally, I always go off how I feel, where I come from, my background and different inspirations.
So I think it’s cool that, like I said, Klarna is able to do like this little thing with the fans to where they get to vote on my outfit for my tunnel look going into All-Star. I’ve always appreciated the fans’ opinion.
LaVine Speaks About Bulls and His Growth
Heavy: What’s it been like being on a winning team for the first time in your career? Obviously, you’ve put up some incredible numbers since coming to the Bulls in 2017, but this is the first time you’re on a playoff team.
LaVine: Yeah, I mean, it’s good. This is what I’ve always wanted, but sometimes when you’re drafted, you gotta play the cards you’re dealt. Not everybody can immediately be on a playoff team or a championship team. So all those experiences leading up to this point has helped me where I’m at today. Obviously, the team that we have around us, moving forward, I think we have a shot at competing for things that big.
Heavy: You look more explosive, at least to me, since your ACL injury with the Timberwolves. How much work did you put into your body and how did you recover from an injury a lot of players don’t come back from?
LaVine: I mean, yeah, it’s a lot of hard work, man, and obviously, you have to be lucky and have everything go the right way, but god willing, I’ve always been somebody that works extremely hard. I try to outwork my competition. Even with my body, that happened to me at such a young age where you can either let it define you or it can make you.
I was pretty explosive before. I don’t know if I’m as explosive now, but I matured into my body a little bit more. I got stronger all around. So, I feel like I have the best of both worlds.
Heavy: When the Bulls got DeMar and Lonzo (Ball), you had to change your approach a little bit to play a little more off the ball. A lot of players can’t excel at that, but you’re playing incredibly. What was your mindset going into the season?
LaVine: For me personally, I want everybody to be who they are and at their best cuz that’s how the team is gonna be. This opportunity that we had with all these guys coming in, to where we each have to sacrifice something to win and I think I learned that with the USA experience cuz all of us is guys who averaged 28, 27 on our individual team, but to go out there and win the gold medal, we each had to give and do something different and I think it’s the same for the Chicago Bulls.
I’m gonna be Zach LaVine on the court regardless, but if I can give a little bit of myself to where I can do some spacing or play off the ball and allow DeMar to be himself a little bit more or let Zo handle the ball in transition, do what he does great, that’s gonna help us in the long term and ultimately what matters most is win.
LaVine Discusses Michael Jordan, All-Time Bulls Starting 5
Heavy: I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but you’re third in Bulls franchise history in 3-point field goals and second in points per game. There’s a chance you could go down as the second-best shooting guard in Bulls history behind Michael Jordan. What would that mean to you?
LaVine: Michael Jordan growing up was everything to me. He’s part of the reason I started playing basketball. He was everything. To even be on the Bulls, I remember getting traded here, I always just wanted to help them get back to where they were. All they knew was winning and they deserve that.
For me personally, I’ve never really looked into all those stats. When you’re with a team for a good amount of time, you’re gonna accumulate those things and I hold myself to a high standard to be a really good player in this league, so I appreciate it.
Heavy: What’s your all-time Bulls starting five? You can obviously include yourself if you want to.
LaVine: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah. … I’m real stuck at the center position, but for me, I was also a big-time Laker fan, big Kobe fan. Pau Gasol during those Laker days, I know people be like he’s not an all-time Bull, but I’m putting him in that starting five. I think he’ll complement those guys really well.
LaVine on Being an All-Star Again, Meshing so Well with DeRozan
Heavy: You’re going to be on Team Durant for the All-Star Game. How excited are you to play with that team and be an All-Star for the second year in a row?
LaVine: Extremely excited about it, man. I mean, whenever you have the opportunity to be selected as an All-Star, you have to be very appreciative and thank the players, the fans, coaches, media. It’s just really good to go out there and compete and be with the other top guys in the league and be recognized on that level.
Heavy: So many critics said you and DeMar wouldn’t be able to coexist. You guys are the highest-scoring duo in the NBA and the Bulls are second in the East. Has it been fun to quiet those naysayers?
LaVine: I mean, you hear a lot of noise all the time. I’ve always been somebody that tries to shut people up and it’s just how it’s been. I think it gives a little extra fuel to the fire. It’s part of the game. People go out there and give their opinions and it’s up to us to go out there and tell ’em the truth on the court.
DeMar is having an MVP-type season. People tried to write him off and this guy is a future Hall of Famer. They’re talking about there’s only one ball and Zach hasn’t won and now we’re both All-Stars. We’re No. 2 in the East right now, and the scary thing is, we aren’t even healthy. I don’t wanna say it’s satisfying, but we recognize it and we put our head down and we work.