January 8, 2009 | Onion Sports
WASHINGTON-Fashion consultant and Project Runway host Tim Gunn surprised
the Washington Wizards Monday by unexpectedly arriving at the Verizon
Center locker room and offering to help Wizards players shop for less
repulsive uniforms.
Enlarge Image (Embedded image moved to file: pic20450.jpg)TS Gunn
Wizards R
"I happened to see the Wizards on television, and I couldn't believe the
players were out in public wearing such garish jerseys and shorts," said
Tim Gunn, who was born and raised in Washington, D.C. "That antique-gold
color is just appalling, and frankly, the unbalanced black and white
bands
above the names look frumpy. Furthermore, the black star details running
along the sides are very unflattering."
"No wonder the team is 7-26 this season," added Gunn, claiming he felt
obligated to assist the "fashion-challenged" team. "It's just shameful
for
professional basketball players to be dressed in outfits that fail to
accentuate their strength, sleekness, and athletic qualities."
While the majority of the Wizards were initially reluctant when asked to
discard their old uniforms, 6-foot-9 power forward Antawn Jamison
admitted
that with Gunn's guidance he felt confident enough to wear bolder
colors.
Jamison also said he learned that the silhouette of his former uniform
did
not highlight his wide shoulders.
"Tim let us know that thinner shoulder straps would give us a
sophisticated
yet powerful look," Jamison said. "Sometimes the process of finding the
perfect uniform was difficult, but I'm glad we didn't settle. Now I feel
like I can throw an elbow at anyone when I'm down in the paint."
Gunn, who brought the Wizards to upscale boutiques, department stores,
and
NBA fashion designers, repeatedly stressed that their uniforms needed to
be
comfortable whether they were driving to the hoop, attempting a windmill
jam, or coming off the bench during garbage time of a home game.
Watching video footage of himself with Gunn, center Andray Blatche
admitted
that he was embarrassed when the chief creative officer for Liz
Claiborne
revealed that the material of his jersey was bunching up in the back
when
he jumped for rebounds.
"In the process of finding out about a number of ways to be more
stylish, I
also became aware of how poorly my garments used to fit," said Blatche.
"Tim was right when he said that, to get to the NBA Finals, we need to
dress like we're going to the NBA Finals."
"Thankfully, I found out that the top I was wearing was too long, which
deemphasized the contours of my waist," Blatche added.
Although point guard Gilbert Arenas is recovering from knee surgery and
hasn't played this season, Gunn was reportedly very proud of the
all-star's
sartorial effort. According to Gunn, Arenas was an indispensable leader
who
encouraged the team to try on numerous uniforms and choose colors that
best
complemented their build. In addition, Gunn said Arenas helped his
teammates accessorize their outfits with matching headbands, shooting
sleeves, and knee braces.
"Gilbert has come so far," said Gunn, wiping away a tear with his pocket
square. "When I told him I wasn't crazy about the length of his shorts,
I
could not believe how receptive he was about letting me raise the
hemline.
Now, just look at them-they are simply gorgeous."
To the astonishment of the Wizards, Gunn rewarded the players with an
unexpected visit to fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi's New York studio.
The
Wizards, thrilled to try on Mizrahi's newest line of gowns, were beside
themselves when the designer offered to let them keep the evening
dresses
they were wearing for the gala during the NBA's upcoming all-star
weekend.
