In preparation for their NBA Finals matchup, the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics have been bringing their A-games—and their finest dress sense—to the court.

Professional basketball players’ appearances are now seen as a fashion show. A pregame fashion display now takes place during the “tunnel walk,” the underground passage that players take to reach the locker room. Star point player Stephen Curry of the Warriors has been promoting the clothing lines of up-and-coming Black designers during his public appearances.

Sherri McMullen, proprietor of the Oakland boutique McMullen, has been working with Mr. Curry and his stylist, Sheraine Robinson, since the start of the year. In an effort to highlight Black designers who are underrepresented in the industry, he reached out to Ms. McMullen during Black History Month and asked if she could style him.

Mr. Curry highlighted menswear companies like as June79, Talley & Twine, and Spencer Badu in many February outfit posts on his company Instagram account, @sc30inc. On February 28, when Black History Month was coming to a close, he captioned an Instagram post for his personal account with the hashtag “#BHMFits doesn’t stop here.” During the postseason, he would persist in seeking out and highlighting the work of Black designers alongside Ms. McMullen and Ms. Robinson.

At the finals, designers may showcase their work and contestants can showcase their individual flare. At its peak, around thirteen million people were viewing Game 1, according to Nielsen. (At its peak, about 14 million people watched Game 2.)

In her explanation, Ms. McMullen stated, “the first look is always really important.” A one-of-a-kind lightweight wool suit with red, green, and yellow colorblocking was created by Los Angeles-based designer Patrick Henry (commonly known as “Fresh”) of the Richfresh label in commemoration of Pan-Africanism. The Golden State Warriors’ and the NBA’s costume has been viewed by over five million people on Instagram.