If you’ve been following basketball lately, you know it’s been a buzzy season for the pros. There have been unbelievable trades, new heroes emerging on the court, and of course, so, so much tunnel style. For fans of looks on and off the court, Bleacher Report and the NBA have partnered to create a first of its kind collection. Entitled The Residency, this collection puts five iconic teams and the cities they call home in the spotlight creating clothing that’s equal parts for sports and fashion fans.
B/R brought together artists local to teams from Boston, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami, and Toronto to create The Residency collective. This group of designers have the same north star, which is to celebrate how sports creates passion. Similar to a love letter, this collection honors communities and generations through the lens of sports, connecting the beauty of sports, culture, art and fandom.
Or simply put “Because of the Game... Sincerely.”
If you’re a fan of the Boston Celtics, the black and gold tee with the words “no luck just hustle” might be for you. If you’re more of a crewneck person, the Toronto Raptors’ baby crewneck is a good option with its cream backdrop and pop of color by way of the designer’s vivacious take on the Raptor mascot.
To get a feel for The Residency artists and their designs, check out some highlights from the collection below.
Esther Wallace x Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics "Big League" Crewneck | $110 /// Boston Celtics "Summertime" Baseball Jersey | $125 /// Boston Celtics "Summertime" Shorts | $90 /// Boston Celtics "Lucky" T-Shirt | $75
It was during Esther Wallace’s sophomore year of high school when she first started playing basketball, which is remarkable given that she grew up in Springfield, MA, the birthplace of the sport. Wallace quickly took to ‘ball by showcasing great skill and prowess. She earned a Division I scholarship playing college basketball, then she coached, and finally ended up in Boston with a master’s degree in marketing. From there, she began a fledgling women’s sports brand, Playa Society.
Esther’s passions for Beantown, basketball, and design are the connective tissue for all her work. You see the perfect harmony of the three on her “Hustle” tee, which celebrates the Celtics’ 18th championship which coincidently is also a nod to founding her brand in 2018
MADSTEEZ x Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns "Graphic Sun" T-Shirt | $75 /// Phoenix Suns "Into The Sunset" Long-Sleeve T-Shirt| $90 /// Phoenix Suns "Sun Bomber" Jacket | $175 /// Phoenix Suns "Sunpaint" Shorts | $90
The brilliant desert hues that make up the Phoenix Suns’ colors are a fun pairing with a muralist whose work leans towards psychedelic abstraction. MADSTEEZ, born Mark Paul Deren, was heavily inspired by ’90s Suns merch growing up. He was also born blind in his left eye, though he’s able to see abstractions and lines of color through it, especially the purples and oranges that appear frequently in his work. His hand style and lettering are scattered around a collection that ranges from a silk bomber jacket to a pair of shorts, with plenty of the rich purple that the Suns is known for.
Blue The Great x Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks "Mavericks 01" T-Shirt | $75 /// Dallas Mavericks "Mavericks 02" Sweatpants | $120 /// Dallas Mavericks "Mavericks 03" Short Sleeve Top | $120 /// Dallas Mavericks "Mavericks 04" Shorts | $90
Basketball players use skills and their sheer will to win to accomplish their dreams. Dallas, Texas native Blue The Great is cut from a similar cloth. He's a self-taught artist with a background in graffiti, who’s moved into a prolific mixed-media body of work. With nods to cartoons alongside post-modernist DIY vibes, his collection B/R showcases that it’s never too late to start pushing yourself in a new direction.
COVL x Miami Heat
Miami Heat "Burnie" Mascot Hoodie | $110 /// Miami Heat "Heat Work" Jacket | $150 /// Miami Heat "Heat 2" Shorts | $90 /// Miami Heat "Burnie" T-Shirt | $75
D’ana “COVL” Nunez’s work is rooted in the Latin culture she was surrounded by growing up in Miami. Her work is cerebral; packed with imaginative, delicate artistry, bolstered by color psychology, and expressive of the nonstop movement of a hustler. Miami is woven throughout her collection, from teal-and-pink bubble letters under fiery orange rays to a multimedia painting of Heat mascot Burnie.
Demit Omphroy x Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors "Baby Raptor" Oat Crewneck | $110 /// Toronto Raptors "Baby Raptor" Navy Crewneck| $110 /// Toronto Raptors "Baby Raptor" Wine Crewneck| $110 /// Toronto Raptors "Baby Raptor" T-Shirt| $75
The path to being a successful athlete (or artist) is long, challenging, and can often go in unpredictable directions. Demit Omphroy’s journey started in northern California, where he studied fine art and painting at UC while playing on the school men's soccer team. At the end of his final year, he was drafted by FC Toronto, where he became the first player with Multiple Sclerosis in Major League Soccer when he took the pitch. For his B/R collection, he reimagined the Raptors’ iconic logo in his signature loopy, colorful vibe. He calls it a “Baby Raptor,” tying his own memories of being shaped by the city personally and professionally to the NBA’s favorite dinosaur.
To see and shop the collection, head to B/R’s web store.