Getty Brooklyn Nets star James Harden is defended by Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers swapped Ben Simmons for James Harden in a franchise-changing trade prior to the All-Star break. Those two players will forever be linked, while visions of championships dance in the heads of both the Sixers and Brooklyn Nets.
Simmons never suited up for his new team, preferring to make headlines with his designer fits on the bench. Harden saw action in 21 games for the Sixers while flashing his own fashion sensibilities during his high-end tunnel entrances. Both players have earned considerable hype for their style. Fittingly, GQ Sports has pitted Simmons against Harden in the first round of their annual bracket tournament to crown the NBA’s Most Stylish Player.
Chris Paul is the reigning champion; D’Angelo Russell took the award in 2019. The Simmons vs. Harden winner will face either Jordan Clarkson or Karl-Anthony Towns in the next round. Fans can vote for their favorites via Instagram and each round lasts for 24 hours. Here is a brief description:
The 16-player bracket is stacked; there might not be an easy matchup among them. Still, there are highlights: courtside king Ben Simmons will face off against the guy he was traded for (and no slouch, stylewise) in James Harden.
Old head P.J. Tucker and will stare down young gun Jaren Jackson Jr. And perennial style all-stars D’Angelo Russell and Kyle Kuzma will go head to head. Things lean a little younger this year—but that should make things interesting.
UPDATE: Simmons has advanced to the second round after beating Harden. Keep that bench style going!
Ben Simmons beats James Harden in @GQSports competition for NBA’s Most Stylish Player. Looks like the diva point guard finally won something … if only he cared about basketball. #Sixers #HereTheyCome #Nets #NetsWorld
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Harden Sees NBA Tunnels as Fashion Runways
Harden has been pretty outspoken about his love for fashion over the years. He joined the board of Saks Fifth Avenue last year and has a sneaker and apparel line with Adidas. The 10-time All-Star talked about how important “tunnel fits” are during a 2021 interview with GQ’s Rachel Tashjian. Harden takes great pride in his look.
“You gotta put that outfit on when you walk into that game because there are going to be a lot of pictures taken of you,” Harden told Tashjian. “And then they’re going to be posted on social media. So if you want to be talked about, in a good way — or a bad way! Depends on what you got on. It’s kind of the culture, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
James Harden arrives in style via #PhantomCam
The @sixers host the Knicks TONIGHT at 7:30pm/et on ESPN
Remember, Harden appeared alongside former Houston Rockets teammate Russell Westbrook on the cover of a March 2020 issue of GQ. In the accompanying article, Harden estimated he spent “half a million dollars at least” per year on clothes.
Simmons Got Clowned for His ‘Bench Style’
Simmons has been the butt of many jokes this season for sporting high-end looks on the bench. It’s not that he doesn’t look good — I mean, you be the judge — but it seems weird to call attention to yourself when you refuse to step on the court. Simmons was booed mightily in his return to Philly on March 10 while wearing a $1,370 Louis Vuitton football shirt (via Crossing Broad).
Ben Simmons fit breakdown:
Louis Vuitton Football Shirt: $1,370
Lighting Jordan 4: $220
That’s not even accounting for the ice on his neck 🥶
His haters went in on that decision, then things got worse for Simmons in the playoffs. He watched the Brooklyn Nets get swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round, all while showing up for each game in a different flashy “clown” outfit. Simmons sat on the bench in style as teammates Seth Curry and Andre Drummond played their hearts out. It was pretty embarrassing.
@WorldWideWob Ben Simmons like, Let me get these fits off
