Gilbert Arenas shared a fascinating NBA story on the latest episode of the ‘Gil’s Arena’ Podcast, discussing 2000s NBA veteran Tim Thomas and how he influenced NBA style by wearing a double-headband to games. The NBA would soon ban the double headband, with Arenas believing that they did so to introduce NBA-issued products like dual-color headbands to sell to fans.
“Didn’t they ban (double headbands) because of (Tim Thomas)? What he would do is if the Bucks’ colors were white and purple, he’d wear a white headband with a purple one on top. What did the NBA do after that? They made a double-color headband. Even with the Iverson sleeve, they banned it so they could sell it.”
“If you look back at it, players would tuck their towels (into their shirts) and they then came up with towel hoodies. Our sweats, back then it was too big so we’d tuck them into our shorts, then they came up with the compression ones. They always capitalize on it. Same thing with colored socks and colored shoes.
The NBA is a business at the end of the day, so it’s unsurprising to see them impose such rules while capitalizing on the fashion trends being created by these players. Tim Thomas averaged 11.5 points and 4.1 rebounds over a 13-year career. His impact with the double headband was felt league-wide, prompting the NBA to ban it despite a role player being the one to popularize it.
Here’s Tim Thomas rocking a double headband in the early 2000s pic.twitter.com/a4nZxakvMU
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 24, 2024
There are more restrictions on what NBA players can wear before or during games now than ever before, as the league worked very hard to improve the sport’s and its players’ appearances over the last two decades.
Gilbert Arenas Dropped A Hot Mavericks Take On His Podcast
Arenas discusses a wide variety of things on his podcast. While the story about Thomas and why the NBA banned the double headbands is fascinating, we are just weeks away from the start of a very intriguing NBA season. Arenas previewed how one of the offseason’s biggest moves could play out, as Klay Thompson hopes to thrive with the Dallas Mavericks.
“He doesn’t have the pressure of being that guy in Dallas. Klay doesn’t need to average 21-22 (points per game). Him hitting two threes and going off, during this season here and there – he can come in and average 20, and it’s going to be less pressure for him though. If Klay doesn’t average 20, there’s two dudes who are still carrying his load right… Just that alone, that he doesn’t have to be the number two guy carrying the team releases a lot of pressure.”
Klay will play a completely new style of basketball on the Mavericks, going from the Warriors’ motion offense to the Mavs’ heliocentric offense which is run through Luka Doncic. Klay will get a lot more standstill catch-and-shoot threes this season, as the Mavs led the league in generating corner 3-pointers last season, largely because of Doncic.
With Kyrie Irving also playing basketball at an All-Star level still, the Mavs will hope this big three creates enough offensive firepower to help the team repeat as Western Conference Champions, maybe even win the NBA Finals.
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