The new aesthetic of the NBA, a story by Andrea Bargnani

Andrea Bargnani entered the NBA in 2006 as the first overall pick in the Draft, venturing into uncharted territory for an Italian player—at least at his level. He stayed in the league for ten years, spending most of that time in Canada with the Toronto Raptors before wrapping up his career in New York, playing for both the Knicks and the Nets. During that time, the NBA underwent dramatic changes from various perspectives: in its purest essence, the game itself, as described by the Italian Wizard (a nickname often pronounced humorously by commentators, analysts, and Raptors announcers—though not as creatively as his surname); but also in terms of global visibility, integration with other basketball cultures, and its rules and internal dynamics, reflecting the league’s natural avant-garde tendencies. Finally, even its appearance has evolved, with the NBA world presenting itself to the public through an increasingly intricate web of collaborations and connections with the fashion and lifestyle universe.

At the Meet & Greet - NBA Legend event at the NBA Store in Milan, we asked Andrea Bargnani to share his insights on these transformative processes from an insider's perspective and how they redefined the NBA’s aesthetic. As a pioneer among modern big men and Italian players making transoceanic journeys, Bargnani provides a compelling perspective on the changes he experienced: the transformation of his life on and off the court, evolving alongside the game and its surrounding landscape. From Treviso to Toronto, and eventually to the heart of New York City, Manhattan, before returning to Europe in 2016 to conclude his career with Baskonia in Spain. Speaking with The Wizard at the NBA Store, which for six years has been the go-to destination in Italy for NBA fans and official merchandise, we couldn’t resist starting by asking which jerseys he enjoyed wearing the most when looking back at himself in the mirror.

I keep all the jerseys I played in, and there are many. But my favorite, the coolest, is without a doubt the Nike Hoop Summit jersey. That one is really beautiful; it has the country’s name on the front and the player’s name on the back—a true collector’s item.

And in the NBA?

Toronto Raptors, no question. In my opinion, it’s always the best-looking jersey, and of course, I mean the classic one with the old logo—it’s absolutely stunning, better than all the rest.

From other teams, which ones come to mind first?

There are so many, but I’d say my favorites are Denver’s rainbow jersey and the Pistons’ Grant Hill era jersey with the fire-breathing horse.

What about shoes—what did you prefer to wear on the court?

I’ve always been and still am a Nike athlete, and I’ve always used their shoes on the court. My relationship with the brand started back in Treviso when I was 17. If you ask me for the exact models, though, I couldn’t tell you.

If you had entered the NBA in a different era, who knows—you might have had your own signature shoe. Scoot Henderson and Wembanyama, for example, joined the NBA in 2023 and already have shoes in the works. Would you have liked that?

A personalized shoe line. I think that’s every basketball player’s dream, right? I would have loved it, yes.

Players today have another dimension of visibility off the court.

Yes, personal branding and player exposure have grown significantly over time. I saw this change clearly during my years in the NBA.

Today’s ties with the fashion and lifestyle world seem to belong to an era beyond yours.

Yes, for sure. In my time, it was very different. The attention to fashion wasn’t what it is today. For example, I saw that now the NBA organizes summer courses at Bocconi University with the NBPA, the players’ association, creating opportunities and meetings with executives, CEOs of fashion brands, and industry representatives. It’s almost entirely focused on lifestyle, current trends, and fashion. When I entered the NBA, none of that existed, apart from a few individual cases of spontaneous interest like Dwyane Wade.

Who was the most fashion-conscious player you played with?

Definitely Iman Shumpert, who I played with in New York. He was very stylish, changing his look every night—there was an outfit planned for each game. He’s the only one I can think of from my career. Today, though, there are many.

How was your personal experience in Toronto and New York?

Both are beautiful cities, and I was lucky to live in two international metropolises where I felt at home. I didn’t even have to change apartments in New York (when moving from the Knicks to the Nets, editor’s note); I stayed in Manhattan. Personally, I think I was really fortunate—can I say that?

You can.

It could definitely have gone much worse. Before New York, I spent many years in Toronto, and I felt great there too. From the start, partly because there’s a huge Italian community in Toronto.

Did it help you settle in?

When I arrived, it was the largest Italian community abroad in the world—half a million people, maybe even more. So, there was no culture shock, no difficulty in adjusting. I had everything I was used to in my daily life: shopping, food, restaurants. I hardly even noticed the difference. In general, my life off the court in Toronto was super easy.

Was the NBA ready for you 15–20 years ago? Many say you arrived too early for your stretch five style of play (a modern big man archetype extending the traditional range outside the paint, editor’s note). What do you think?

Too early? If I had arrived when Wilt Chamberlain was playing, that would have been too early! Jokes aside, starting with Chamberlain’s era and moving forward, basketball has always been a game that never stops changing. There wasn’t even a three-point line before, and now the game has shifted heavily behind the perimeter—maybe even too much. It’s a continuous evolution, which is natural and right.

How do you imagine your career if you started 10–15 years later?

It’s hard to say, but I know it would have been different. Nowadays, there are many players with similar traits to mine. Almost every team has a big man who can also play outside and handle the ball. When I played, there were maybe three like that in the entire NBA. You were a rarer type of player then, so maybe certain plays were easier because you were unique, whereas today, defenses are more prepared. There are pros and cons depending on how you look at it.