Last week, National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern announced that, from now on, NBA players must wear business casual and professional attire during interviews and travel.
This new rule has caused ruckus throughout the NBA and the nation. What we call, “Stern’s Golden Rule,” will force NBA players to represent the organization in a professional manner. But will this actually work?
For so long the NBA has not enforced a dress code on players. However, there were players that enforced their own professional attire off-court. For example, Dwayne Wade and Ray Allen often wear business casual attire during interviews and travel.
Unfortunately, the dress code will put a damper on the player’s self-expression and style. Since the players are forced to conform their dress code to NBA’s standards, the audience doesn’t get to experience the true personality of each player.
On the other hand, it is understandable why the NBA would want this dress code to be enforced. Look at the NBA as an employer and the players as its employees. At all times, the employees represent the company they work for. Furthermore, the NBA pays the players for their work, character and conduct. It makes it a little easier to cope with it when looked at from the NBA’s point of view.
For 56 years, the NBA has managed without a dress code for their players. If this is supposed to make the players act more professionally than before, we don’t think it is the way to do it. The decorum or demeanor of a person is not changed if he or she is placed in a pair of slacks and tie.
The NBA should let the players be themselves and we are pretty sure the audience will appreciate that. On Nov. 1, the law will be enforced on NBA players. We will watch and see the outcome.