Chime is offering NBA fans an affordable way to recreate their favorite athletes’ style.
On Wednesday, the mobile banking company debuted a new YouTube series, called “Ball on a Budget,” which enlists stylist Courtney Mays and an array of NBA athletes to recreate their popular tunnel outfits on a $300 budget. The series includes NBA players such as Tim Hardaway Jr., Karl Anthony Towns, Jalen Green and others. New episodes will debut each Wednesday.
“Especially the younger consumer, I think we’re constantly bombarded with these ideas of spending to look good,” Mays said. “I thought this series was so important because it was really teaching people to be smart with their money, but still be interested in feeling good and looking good. It was important to have conversations around money when it comes to fashion because so often we’re told even inadvertently to follow this trend of wearing Louis Vuitton down to your socks, but I think realistically it’s so important to be cost-conscious.”
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The YouTube series debuts with Hardaway Jr.’s episode, with the Dallas Mavericks player and Mays teaming up to recreate his laid-back style from finds at a thrift store. The NBA player explained his style usually focuses on building an outfit off one key piece, so he used that strategy for his thrifted outfit by focusing on a pair of distressed jeans.
“My tunnel style is laid-back with a few pieces here and there that will pop,” he said. “I tend to be more on the conservative side. I don’t go all out like a [Kyle] Kuzma or [Jordan] Clarkson. I just don’t think that fits me well as a person and my personality. But, I’ll have a few pieces that will pop or if people know the brand or know what I have on without a big name on the shirt or pants. I think that’s the way to go.”
In recent years, the NBA tunnel has become closely followed by fans as players use the platform as a way to show off their style and oftentimes debut highly anticipated drops from streetwear brands or design houses.
“I feel like the average guy isn’t necessarily watching the Oscars red carpet,” Mays said on why the tunnel is so popular with fans. “I think to that point, you see the guys in tuxedos, but that doesn’t really give you a clue about what to wear on a random Wednesday. The NBA tunnel is so interesting because not only are you able to see the personality and the perspective of each athlete off the court and out of their uniform, but you’re also given this diverse array of style sensibility.”