Chris Brickley And His Influence On NBA Style And ‘Hoodie Melo’

The intersection of sports and fashion is where Chris Brickley lives as a trainer for NBA athletes and many other basketball prospects. In New York City – the epicenter of the fashion world – Brickley, a former full-time athlete, develops the talent of some of “the tunnels” best dressers. He has coached basketball at schools like Fairleigh Dickinson in New Jersey and ‘Ole Miss,’ and even was the Director of Player Development for the Knicks, where he would propel his cache for training top-tier basketball talent.

The influence of living in New York City on style is intricate to the culture of the NYC community. From Yankee Hats to Knicks jerseys, Timberland boots to Air Jordan sneakers, sports and fashion in the Big Apple have a much different effect on the individuals who reside here. From Walt Frazier in the 70s to Carmelo Anthony in recent years, we have seen many fashion styles from athletes in New York City that can be flashy or clean-cut.

Brickley is in the heat of training Miami forward Jimmy Butler as he competes to win the 2022-23 season Eastern Conference Finals. He has worked with other stylish NBA athletes like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Jalen Brown, and Rudy Gay. He also facilitates sessions with high school and NCAA-level talent, priming them for professional debuts.

Fashionable themselves, Jimmy Butler and Carmelo Anthony have donated clothing to vintage sales like the SEEKNOW x SLAM x League Fits. Brickley has reaped the benefits of proximity to NBA style and understands the sentiment stating, “Giving it away ain’t bad. You bless people by – you – putting yourself in this space where you can have access to this kind of stuff. I’ve definitely spent too much early on with clothes,” he chuckles.

While training Rudy Gay, who happened to be the first NBA player to sign with PUMA, Brickley would get his own sneaker deal as a trainer, the first of its kind. He nevertheless understands his value in the supply chain his closet offers and the extended benefits for those close to him. Sustainable at best, the trainer is mindful of his expenditures and donates his clothing to his friends and family regularly.

“I remember buying Amiri Jeans when I shouldn’t have,” laments Brickley of his sartorial entry points. “That’s a lot of money – like stupid [money]. Then I gave them away after. I just give it to all my friends. I regret it a little bit though, for sure. I would have a crazy clothing collection if I didn’t give away all my shit,” he laughs.

Brickley grew up in the greater Boston area and New Hampshire subsequently, where he would dawn the local footwear brand beloved by New Yorkers, Timberland. Wearing trends that most teens were familiar with, Brickley, more into skateboarding at the time, would adopt a typical high school wardrobe. Today his look has matured, wearing custom Zegna suits with his Patek Phillippe watch or a slick pair of Velophasis PUMA trainers with a hoodie by ERL – or another contemporary streetwear brand from emerging fashion talent.

Brickley dribbles through memory lane. “What was I wearing? I remember being in high school when J’s, and like Mitchell-and-Ness jerseys were popular,” he recalls. “I think I wore, like, big white T-shirts and shit. I was always on that type of wave. I went through a skateboard wave [also]. I used to wear American Eagle and Abercrombie and Fitch in the seventh grade. I’ve always been into fashion.”

Chris Brickley has cultivated a safe space for athletes to improve their abilities simultaneously, influencing gym style that complements any tunnel look. With news of his recent retirement, “Hoodie Melo” is undoubtedly a trend started by Brooklyn-born Carmelo Anthony under the facilitation of Brickley, who spent countless hours keeping Anthony in top shape for an NBA return. Starting his career in Denver, and seeking a home after almost a decade with the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony would successfully make it back on an NBA roster with the help of Brickley, wearing his last uniform in Los Angeles with the Lakers.

Without a definitive from both parties, Brickley believes that “Hoodie Melo” was used as a focus mechanism – a functional fashion choice – to express an unbothered demeanor from the 9th on the all-time scoring list leader and the 2021 NBA 75th Anniversary Team member. Some may argue it was an effort to “Stay Me7o” [stay mellow] in a colder gym climate, but Brickley knows the style choice more than anyone.

“So [Carmelo] says a certain story, and I have a certain story,” Brickley starts enthusiastically. “[Carmelo] said that he was cold one day, he put it on, and that was that.”

“But I think the reason was that he was working out and didn’t want people [or media] bothering him. He put his hood on, and it made him [feel like he was] in his own world. And I think that’s why he started it. To be like, ‘All right, don’t talk to me’ – that vibe. Then he just ran with it, started having all these [great] workouts, and played pickup with the hood on.

Amid some resistance from less fashionable audiences, the hooded style was ultimately adopted by the NBA in their warm-up uniform designs, solidifying the connective fabric that Brickley cultivates within his gym training. “That was crazy,” says Brickley as he reflects on that moment in 2017. “So, that whole summer, we were traveling around the United States, and people were wearing hoodies while hooping because of that – that was dope! And then it was the next season, the NBA put hoods on their warmups, and it’s been like that ever since. It’s cool that we had to do with that whole [moment].”

The significance of fashion in the NBA has evolved over time. Uniforms started out cut and sewn to size and had little to no room. Eventually, more flare was added in the 70s, and in the 90s, shorts and jerseys became oversized in comparison. All-Stars like Allen Iverson made baggy shorts, tattoos, and armbands a street style as much as it was an athletic necessity [if only durags were game-approved].

Mentoring NBA players is innate to Brickley as a former player, and fashion plays a part in that aspect. Most athletes come to Brickley for tweaks in their jump shot or to develop moves to the basket. Developing style has been subversively advantageous of training under the Chris Brickley brand, with visibility on his popular and ever-growing social media channels.

Brickley is known for his unique and casual fashion style, which has caught the attention of brands like Zegna and PUMA, among streetwear brands that see Brickley as the perfect canvas. Captivating collaborations and limited-edition releases have showcased his ability to close the gap between sports and fashion. He has cultivated a dedicated community that often looks to him for athletic discipline, but can also seek fashionable inspiration and trendsetting guidance from the Chris Brickley brand.