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The NBA Draft is a well-reputed haven for truly awful suits. You give teenagers a little bit of money, the promise of camera time and a little bit of sartorial freedom, and you often end up with outfits that make Russell Westbrook look like James Bond.
How did the 2012 class do in the fashion department? We have a photo rundown of 16 players who shook David Stern's hand on Thursday night, ranking from No. 1 on down to ... well, you'll see. Enjoy!
1. Terrence Ross, Toronto Raptors
BOW TIE. That's all that needs to be said. That's all, you hear? There's nothing else in that photo to address. Nothing. Just the bow tie.
2. Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors
Glen Rice's reputation took a different direction with that whole Sarah Palin thing, so let's ping Barnes as a bigger Ray Allen. He's got the style and smile on point; he'll be extremely marketable if the Warriors do make the jump to San Francisco, and he proves to be worth the No. 7 pick. He seemed like the second coolest dude in the room, at least from my vantage point of a couch in Sacramento.
3. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
I feel like this might be a next-level suit right here. This is an Oakland suit. Like Oakland Oakland. This is quite possibly the beginning of Oakland fashion.
4. Maurice Harkless, Philadelphia 76ers
Plaid ties were the real fashion winners of Thursday night. Harkless goes with a slick color combination, a gray suit with the green and gray plaid tie. The understated tie clip stands in stark contrast to Tyler Zeller's loud tie tack. If only he'd have kept his name "Moe"!
5. John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks
Pocket squares on pocket squares. Getting suited up is an underrated problem for tall, skinny dudes. (SB Nation's Bomani Jones has sermonized on this topic.) Henson pulls it off well. Bonus points for noting in post-draft interviews that he appreciates that Milwaukee lacks traffic congestion.
6. Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers
Dang, Dion Waiters, if you love Syracuse so much, why didn't you stay there?
7. Thomas Robinson, Sacramento Kings
Simple, with the Rolex peeking out and a stylish loud color on the tie. He wore sneakers with this, right? This is a sneakers suit.
8. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
Drummond hooked his mic on the tie instead of the lapel (rookie!), but looks solid. Now someone just needs to teach him how to wear a ballcap.
9. Evan Fournier, Denver Nuggets
Fournier appears to be the long lost brother of either Cristiano Ronaldo and Derek Zoolander. He was quite natty coming out of the crowd, but he has the distinctly French air about him, which proves to be a disadvantage against composed American rivals. An outrageous hair gel level.
10. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Bobcats
Something tells me that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will not be wearing lenseless frames and red pants any time soon.
11. Tyler Zeller, Cleveland Cavaliers
Is that a tie tack in the center of the tie above the pocket square horizon? Impressive commitment to bling! Otherwise, this is halfway between rural high school Homecoming King and 45-year-old Northern Virginia WASP.
12. Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
This screencap doesn't quite do it justice: that suit was a bit out there due to the wacky brown trim on the lapel and pockets. But it kinda worked, in a Four Tops cover band way. Beal is young enough to pull off quasi-wedding band, I guess.
13. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets
Diamond mines on the ears, stripes and plaid combo, tie mic, disappearing pocket square. Unbecoming of a top pick, Anthony!
14. Jeremy Lamb, Houston Rockets
I know well-fitted suits are all the rage, but this suit doesn't actually appear to fit well. It's like he's wearing a Spiderman costume underneath. ... Maybe he is wearing a Spiderman costume underneath!
15. Austin Rivers, New Orleans Hornets
No. This is not a Banana Republic catalog, and you are not wearing a goatee. No.
16. Meyers Leonard, Portland Trail Blazers
What in the Heavens is going on here? Bomani Jones' sleeper pick came through strong with a tablecloth, tight-collar shirt, a mismatched loud red tie, a confused open jacket and origami poking out of his pocket. It's not quite Wesley Johnson, but it's just not right. At all.
SB Nation's Amy K. Nelson and Bomani Jones sit down with former Knicks All-Star and fashion enthusiast, Clyde Frazier:
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