Slowly but surely, the worlds of fashion and basketball have begun to converge, with many NBA stars getting column inches in magazines and on the Internet thanks to their sharp and polished designer looks when off the court.

Players like Russell Westbrook, Tyson Chandler, Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are as renowned for their dapper style as they are for their swagger on the court. Today’s NBA players don blazers, loafers, cashmere cover-ups, glasses with popping frames and all types of streetwear are commonplace with the players, sparking many copies with their fans and admirers.

What we can see is that the world of sport is reaching towards fashion, with key players investing in stylish men’s fashion, whilst fashion equally (and increasingly) embraces sport, with sneakers, leggings and sweatshirts becoming commonplace in even the most high-fashion of design houses. Here’s our break down of some of the key sport/fashion collaborations and how we can adapt any of these styles for basketball in particular.

Alexander Wang
In 2010, a still relatively young Alexander Wang gained some serious fashion credence thanks to his sports inspired spring/summer collection. In fact, you could even say that he pioneered our current love affair with sports-luxe, opting for relaxed silhouettes, soft textures, knee-high socks and messy plaits long before the look took over our Instagram newsfeeds.

Wang is famous for looks that are understated, slouchy and privileging comfort and he captured the attention of the style set thanks to his cult-basics, which form a seamless part of his sporty aesthetic. The Los Angeles Clippers’ star Chris Paul has styled himself with Alexander Wang.

Then, in 2014, Wang collaborated with retailer H&M to provide a haute-high street collection that made his selection of luxe-sports crop tops, beanies, T-shirts and leggings available to many more people who can’t afford his luxury line. It was an instant success, with much of the collection selling out the day it was released. For basketball related gear, we love the chic array of sports bras as well as the scuba sweat tops that form great cover-ups after your game or practice has finished. For high impact and effective wear when you’re actually playing basketball, we’d look to Wang’s mesh shorts that are light weight but provide good coverage when you’re playing.

Mary Katrantzou x Adidas
Mary Katrantzou burst onto the London Fashion Week runway in 2012 and became an instant success. Her kaleidoscopic graphic prints are her runway signature; bright and colourful, they incorporate the very best of technological innovation with striking sartorial genius.

In 2014 Katrantzou dropped her collaboration with leading sportswear brand Adidas, which incorporated some of her iconic graphics into sportswear apparel, for example sweat shirts, sneakers and coats. The graphics depicted blown up laces from Adidas trainers in bright colours and relaxed, sporty textures.

The pricing was still fairly premium (with a coat costing close to £200) but the collection was instantly covetable, giving huge credibility to the sports-luxe trends, causing even the most high-fashion factions of the industry to indulge in sportswear. The high performance sneakers, stamped with Katrantzou’s prints, are perfect for playing basketball thanks to their flexible soles and breathability. Your feet won’t overheat and will allow you to move around the court seamlessly. Plus, if like Dwayne Wade, you are someone who opts for bright, adventurous colours, these will be perfect for you.

Gola x Liberty
Founded in 1905, Gola is one of the oldest British sportswear companies, with their iconic Harrier trainer worn by legions of footballers and sports professionals over the years. Still a cult favourite across Europe, in 2012, Gola began a hugely successful collaboration with another British institution, Liberty Art Fabric. Famous for their whimsical floral fabrics, Liberty splashed their fabrics across the iconic Gola shoes as well as over rucksacks and other accessories. These shoes are perfect for teaming with skinny jeans and woollen coats in winter, shop similar styles at Mary Jane Fashion, or when paired with maxi dresses in summer.

Whilst more commonly associated with football, the Harrier boots are suitable for basketball warm ups: use them to practice your throwing accuracy, to do a cardio workout or when you spend time toning your muscles ready for the next big game. Keep everything together in the chic Liberty x Gola rucksack, splashed with brightening florals and roomy enough for your kit and any refreshments you need.

It no secret that NBA players have upped their fashion game since the NBA implemented a dress code back in the 1990s.

Historically, most all basketball players obsessively focused on stylish on-court sneakers and solely sneakers, so it was a natural progression to up their style game when it came to dressing up to meet code with their off-court fashions. Today, it’s not just about your kicks on the court, but you’ll find NBA players’ sleek, tall bodies posing for editorials in men’s fashion magazines like GQ and Details as you would sporting their on-court styles in SLAM and Sports Illustrated.