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Walt "Clyde" Frazier interview
By Jeff Lenchiner, InsideHoops.com September 28, 2016 |
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The Champions Basketball League, coming in the summer of 2017, will feature players with NBA experience and fill the big basketball void in NBA offseason months. They've already introduced their New York-based franchise, the Gotham Ballers, which will include Knicks legend and longtime broadcaster Walt "Clyde" Frazier as team president. The Gotham Ballers and some other Champions league members gathered last month in Brooklyn, New York for a scrimmage. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner was there and had a fun talk with Frazier about something he's very famous for: fashion and style. Enjoy the exclusive interview: InsideHoops.com: What fashion tips would you give to the regular, everyday guy out there? The guy who isn't looking for elite stuff -- just some good essentials? Walt "Clyde" Frazier:: Fashion tip is, always have a blue suit. You can always wear a blue suit. A gray suit. A black suit. From that, you can use different combinations. A black jacket, gray pants. So if you don't have a lot of money, that's the way to go. InsideHoops.com: How did you develop your style? You've been known for it for a long time, of course. Clyde Frazier:: Coming to New York, the mecca for fashion. Dick Barnett was my idol. I used to copy where he made his suits, got his shoes, ties. But what set me apart was the hat. The Clyde. Once I got the Clyde hat, then the rest is history. InsideHoops.com: And you got feedback and clear reactions to the hat right away. Frazier:: Well wen I first wore the hat, everybody laughed at me. Because it wasn't in vogue. Like today, they're wearing the narrow brim. But it was the wide brim. So, two weeks later, "Bonnie and Clyde" came out, the movie. And they go "hey, look at Clyde!" That's where I got the nickname from. InsideHoops.com: Where do you get your stuff now? One certain place? Frazier:: Yeah, Mohan's Custom Taylor. Some of it, I use his fabric. Sometimes I get my own fabric. I've been with him over 20-something years. InsideHoops.com: What was your reaction to when the NBA put the dress code in? Frazier:: It was long overdue, man. All these guys are millionaires. They should look like it. It's only for two or three hours, then you can wear whatever you want. When you come to the game, I think you should be representing. So I thought it was a good thing by the league to do. InsideHoops.com: A lot of players have gotten really into it, into high-end fashion, getting serious with it. Frazier:: Yeah, like in the Draft, look at the Draft. They all try to compete with the dressing. So it's a part of the NBA culture, with rap music and the whole thing. And basketball players are like models, man. They're tall and thin, so no matter what they wear they're going to look good in it. InsideHoops.com: Are there a couple NBA players that you see as style leaders these days? Frazier:: Well they got Westbrook. He has his own line of clothes. I think Wade -- I like Wade, he's kind of creative. But what set me apart from those guys, they have stylists. And I'm my own stylist (laughs). I created my own stuff. They go to other people to do theirs. InsideHoops.com: A lot of players have teams of people telling them what they'll look good in. You figured it out yourself. Frazier:: I was just having fun. When I bought the Rolls Royce, I know I didn't have a team telling me what to do... When I started buying clothes, nobody was guiding me, I was just out doing my thing. |
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