In the NBA, the players suit up

Not everybody thought a dress code was a good idea, but it turns out to be a slam dunk

"It's just different," Arenas says, about his loyalty to the brand. "No one knows about it."

Baltimore native Dixon, who plays with the Portland Trail Blazers, says his style (heavy on the Gucci) is "more Russell Simmons, more Jay-Z than 50 Cent."

Butler prefers the style of rappers with more laid-back looks - Kanye West, for example, and Common.

He also dons the "Stacy Adams and straight 'gator action" styles of his old-school uncles.

"So you're influenced by a lot of people," Butler says.

Many older players give credit to Michael Jordan for establishing a classy look they emulated: monochromatic suits with ties or mock turtlenecks, or simple walking suits, with loose fits that transition well from courtside to airplanes, restaurants and even nightclubs.

"I like the MJ look with the suit and the tie," says the Trail Blazers' Theo Ratliff. "I've always kept a professional approach. I like dressing up."

And younger players are catching on.

Before the dress code, Wizards guard Taylor rocked Sean John, Enyce, Phat Farm; now his suits are Calvin Klein. Wizards forward Awvee Storey donned jeans and Pumas to games, or polo shirts and Timberlands.

"Now I'm more of a suit with a tie," Storey says. "Most of the time I get Louis Vuitton or Gucci [ties]."

Never mind that he doesn't know how to actually tie his $200-plus ties - and has to have a teammate do it for him.

"I just like ties," Storey says, laughing. "I don't care how much they cost."

Even with new regulations though, there's still room for misses.

Just after the dress code, Portland's Darius Miles had about 30 suits ordered especially for his 6-foot-9 frame and his self-proclaimed "Steve Harvey, M.J. style."

There are so many colors in Miles' wardrobe, his teammate Travis Outlaw can't help but tease him.

"He got a gold suit," an incredulous Outlaw says in the locker room after a game against the Wizards.

Miles starts to protest, but then, mentally checking off the suits in his closet, thinks better of it.

"Well, yeah," he says, grinning. "But I don't got no shiny suits."

And the overlapping worlds of hip-hop, pro basketball and fashion can all breathe a sigh of relief. Because that would be a violation of a different code altogether.

[e-mail]