SGA Wins!
Well, maybe it shouldn't be a surprise. After an intense, ultra-competitive week, our Most Stylish tournament has come to a close, and we've got a repeat winner: Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took down Russell Westbrook to take the crown. He already knows that it fits: he won this same prize last year, along with GQ's Most Stylish Man of the Year honors. There's a certain sort of badassness in the way he went about things. He came into the tournament as the odds-on favorite—and proceeded to rampage through the bracket, defeating Jaylen Brown, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Giddey, and Russ to win the big prize. After an appearance in the play-in tournament this year, the Thunder look ready to make big moves next fall. And you can expect SGA to be dressed appropriately.
The Finals
We've made it! The finals are here—and we've got a fascinating matchup. In the semis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (fresh off his wins for Most Stylish NBA Player and Most Stylish Man last year), big-fitted his way past teammate Josh Giddey. In the old-head matchup on the other side of the bracket, Russell Westbrook had the last laugh over LeBron James.
That means we've got an SGA-Russ final round. Which feels cosmically right: Westbrook spent years establishing Oklahoma City as a viable NBA style capital, and proving that NBA players could be true-blue fashion plates. Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, has picked up his mantle and is sprinting ahead with it. These might be the two most style-conscious guys in the league—but only one of them can win.
And you'll decide who it will be. Head to the GQ Sports Instagram to vote, and check back here tomorrow to see who won.
Vote now on GQ Sports' IG
The Semifinals
Another day, another set of killer matchups (and at least one nail-biting outcome). For the most part, the favorites here are continue to look strong: SGA beat out Kyle Kuzma, LeBron knocked off Jayson Tatum, and first-ballot NBA style hall of famer Russell Westbrook dressed his way past Jordan Clarkson. Things were a closer in matchup #4, though, where Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey rumbled through an exceptionally close matchup—with Giddey just nosing out the win.
But gaps in one round mean tight pairings in the next. And we're in for a treat in the semis: recent Lakers teammates LeBron and Russ will battle it out in the veterans' side of the bracket, while OKC coworkers SGA and Giddey will have a young-gun-off. Expect fireworks—and check back here tomorrow to see who'll duke it out for the title.
The Quarterfinals
And just like that, the first round is in the books. Not unlike the playoffs themselves, Round 1 of our most stylish tournament had its share of chalk results and proper upsets. Last year's multi-title winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander eased past Jaylen Brown, while vets like LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and Russell Westbrook zipped into round two. Kyle Kuzma presumably used a giant sweater to defeat Jerami Grant, while Jordan Clarkson defeated D'Angelo Russell in a battle of score-first, pass-never, dress-awesome onetime Laker guards. Two big upsets, too, both brewed in the style cauldron of Oklahoma City: Jalen Williams toppled Devin Booker, while Josh Giddey bumped off James Harden.
All of which sets us up for a wild quarterfinal round. The Thunder kids will face off against each other, while their teammate SGA (on the same side of the bracket!) will tackle Kyle Kuzma. On the other side, LeBron and Jayson Tatum will ensure that we get at least one good Lakers-Celtics matchup this year, while Jordan Clarkson and Russell Westbrook will face off in perhaps the most pants-per-square inch contest we've got. It's gonna be a hoot—you've got until this time tomorrow to head over to the GQ Sports Instagram to vote.
Round 1
This year’s NBA playoffs have been unlike any other in history: Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets took down the fan-favorite Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers to make their first-ever Finals appearance, while Jimmy Butler’s Miami Heat have come back from the brink of play-in elimination to contend for the title as an eighth seed. Never has the NBA postseason felt so balanced and unpredictable—and that extends to pregame tunnel, too. The most stylish sports league on earth might still be dominated by the big stars, but there’s a whole host of young style gods ready to take the throne. And so, with the 2023 NBA champ set to be crowned shortly, we’d like your help giving a different sort of award. Welcome to GQ's annual Most Stylish NBA Player tournament.
The 16-player bracket is stacked; there might not be an easy matchup among them. Still, there are highlights: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who doubled up as 2022's Most Stylish NBA Player and GQ’s Most Stylish Man of the Year is back to pick up a third consecutive chip, while perennial style all-stars Devin Booker and James Harden face off against OKC’s new kids on the style block Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey. The league’s 16 strongest fit connoisseurs face off, starting now, in a five-day, five-round competition to determine the league’s best-dressed player. Each round lasts for 24 hours, and it’ll all take place on GQ Sports' Instagram. Cast your vote every day, check back here for updates, and stick around to see who hoists the GQ Most Stylish NBA Player trophy at the final buzzer.
