NBA star Kyle Kuzma has given the phrase “nice jumper” a whole new meaning. The Washington Wizards forward, 26, sent the social media-sports journalism-meme industrial complex on fire on Monday when he wore an enormous pink sweater in the tunnel ahead of the Wizards’ game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Mr Kuzma is known as a fashionista within a league full of colourful personalities, but his choice to wear a $1,659 Raf Simons jumper that nearly reached down to the floor was too much for some of his NBA competitors.
“Ain’t no f****** way you wore that!!!” wrote former teammate Lebron James. “I’m not pressing the like button cause this is outrageous Kuz!”
“Cmon bro sh** getting outta hand now” added former NBA player DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins. The social media roasting left Mr Kuzma “fighting for his life” joked NBA podcaster Molly Morrison.
For the past few years, NBA stars have been upping their sartorial game, so much so that the pre-game entrance through the tunnels beneath the stadium has become a miniature fashion show. Teams like the Houston Rockets have added DJs and a red carpet to their player entrance, leading GQ to joke that NBA tunnel entrances are now approaching their “fashion event horizon.”
Along with players like Russell Westbrook, Kuzma is known as one of the snappier dressers in the league, and has his own clothing line called Childhood Dreams.
The off-court swag didn’t translate into on-court performance on Monday, with the Wizards losing to the Hornets by 6 points.
Here are some of the other best memes and comebacks that the zany sweater inspired:
