The Rise of the NBA Nerd

In his article, The Rise of the NBA Nerd, Wesley Morris writes about the evolution of fashion in the NBA world from the 1900s till now. He argues that the current generation has turned fashion back to what it was in the 1900s due to the kind of style NBA pros have adapted to now. He supports his argument by showing how when Kevin Durant attends press conferences, he wears a semi-formal attire, but what meets the eye, is the backpack he's always wearing. Morris pokes fun at this, writing that someone might think he's carrying actual homework in the backpack. He continues by adding more examples of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade and how although they wear suits, their colors and patterns clash, and their nerd glasses are unnecessary. Morris points out that their fashion trend compares to Carlton's, who was bullied for wearing such attire, which leads Morris to ask, "Is it really safe to look like Carlton Banks?"

So, is it? I would like to answer Morris' question by stating that, although the Carlton fashion was associated with bullying and back in the day it might have not been safe, through the rise of the NBA nerd, it is safe to dress like that. In fact, I think it's not only influential, but also beneficial. This is due to the fact that lots of individuals look up to these NBA players, especially kids. For example, my brother LOVES basketball and so he looks up to Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, and especially LeBron James. Because of this, they have a huge influence on him in the sense that he imitates almost everything they do; he buys expensive brand shoes just because one of the players advertised them and even goes the extent of buying the players' shoes and dressing like them, be it "Carlton style" or not. The  reason I think it's beneficial when these players dress in such a manner, is because it helps reduce racism; if a kid goes to school dressed like LeBron did on a press conference, he won't be picked on because every kid knows LeBron is cool and so that makes the kid cool and the bully uncool. These NBA nerds are not only making a fashion statement but they are also making a statement towards bullying.

Along with the question of pulling a Carlton and the safety of it, Morris also asks,  "The sport can change its clothes, but,..., will it ever change its attitude?" This question arises in the scenario where a reporter complimented Dwight Howard about his cardigan. Morris writes about how, "If Howard thinks compliments about his cardigan are gay, he probably shouldn't wear one."

Concerning his way of writing and the way he makes his argument, the major part is that Morris compares 1900s to today. He uses visual rhetoric to create his argument using the images he paints in our minds of Carlton and how he compares to the images of Kevin Durant and LeBron James. His argument is relevant because it focuses on the issues, especially on the NBA nerds, due to stereotypes.