For his big night as a draftee into the NBA, Colorado Buffaloes star Cody Williams — and his brother, Oklahoma City player Jalen Williams — worked with Rhude on custom suits, marking the first time Rhude has dressed a player for the NBA draft.
Both suits were made from English refined wool fabric and were finished with Italian craftsmanship. They are inspired by Rhude designer Rhuigi Villaseñor’s fall 2024 collection, called “Out of Range,” which “was inspired by the rich elegance of the English countryside, and a touch of modern fits,” the brand said.
“This is the first time I’ve really put on a suit to this magnitude, a suit that’s this nice,” Cody said earlier in the day ahead of the draft, where he would go on to be selected by the Utah Jazz. “I’m really looking forward to being on the red carpet for the first time and really stepping out into the fashion world.”
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He described his final look as a summer take on the brand’s fall collection, resulting in a brown suit with cream silk lining and gold jewelry, including a gold brooch of the Rhude logo.
“I gave them pictures of some suits that I liked from previous years, whether it be from the NFL or basketball or other sports. And I told them the colors I liked, and then kind of went from there,” Cody said.
Off court, he is generally found in sweatpants and hoodies, “but I’m starting to try to venture out,” he said.
“I’m starting to find vintage and graphic Ts, some crazy pairs of jeans, so I feel like that’s something I can take a step toward. I’m still really new.”
Jalen, meanwhile, said he wanted to keep things simple so Cody would have the spotlight.
“It’s basically a downgrade of Cody’s. I didn’t want to do too much. I mean, I’m not getting drafted,” he said. His look was a straightforward black Rhude suit.
Jalen has been aware of Rhude for years now, he says, and finally got to attend one of the brand’s shows last summer, in Paris. It was the first fashion show he’d ever been to. His own sense of style is rooted in being comfortable, though he’s enjoying trying new things in fashion.
“When you’re playing, I feel like the more comfortable you are, the better you play,” he says. Off court, he prefers baggy clothes. “A lot of times I’ll get stuff really big and then just have it tailored. I think when you’re doing fashion, I think the search is the most fun part of it.”
As for advice he’d be passing onto Cody ahead of the big night: “Enjoy the little moments. This draft is going to go by very fast and his whole life is going to change literally in the next couple hours,” Jalen said. “So just enjoy the moment.”
