For the past few seasons, more eyes than ever have been trained on the WNBA. Not only is the players’ athletic prowess being looked at with a laser focus, but checking out the pregame outfits they wear has almost become its own sport. Of course, tunnel outfits aren’t new territory— and in other professional leagues, a level of experimentation has arisen. But within the WNBA, there is also an air of fun that has been invigorating—especially among last season’s players. Years ago Sheryl Swoopes, the first player signed to the WNBA, would prep for games without much intention. Fast-forward to the present and it’s not unheard of for league athletes to hire glam teams and stylists. Contrast this with the simplicity of the looks worn in the earlier years of the league. The style preferences of Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and countless others have led to the current talent’s choices; they embrace high-end designers while receiving broad notice and marketing opportunities. In tandem with positions as brand ambassadors, today’s players are being compensated for their likeness. This is perhaps one of the most compelling aspects of wearing outstanding tunnel outfits: These moments push athletes into the forefront in an undeniable way.
One force driving the popularity of the players’ stylish ensembles is the social media pages that showcase them. Though the accounts aren’t affiliated with the WNBA, they provide an instant signifier of what’s trending. Some brands are tagged, while others are not. These pages signal that dressing up ahead of games can include donning items from top designers or even from Amazon; what matters is the audaciousness of the looks and the confidence with which they are worn. The proliferation of these social accounts proves that clothing can be a means to building one’s brand off the court. The accounts also show that key players are taking image-building seriously. There is no such thing as a standard “uniform” anymore. As they experiment with each look, players are further pushing the WNBA into the cultural lexicon.
Velissa Vaughn, the person behind the @wnbatunnel account on Instagram, debuted her page at the beginning of 2024; she has already amassed more than 80,000 followers. While in Phoenix during the WNBA All-Star Weekend in July, she told me she’d started the account to pay tribute to the women in the league—and to draw attention to the pay gap between NBA and WNBA players. The account often shares brands worn by the women, who are sometimes professionally styled; this is significant, as Vaughn works with stylists to credit designers. Self-expression is also approached uniquely as Vaughn captures these style moments on game day.
The current era is a dramatic shift—almost like a changing of the guard. Swoopes, the first female athlete to have a sneaker named after her, is positive about the attention players are getting. “In some instances, the tunnel walk and the tunnel fits are more exciting than the games,” she states in a Zoom call from Houston, immediately following All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. The four-time WNBA champion noted that Chicago Sky star Angel Reese attending the Met Gala in 2024 demonstrated the WNBA’s current and pivotal fashion moment.
Swoopes remembers what it was like getting ready for games back when she was in the league; not much fuss was made about her pregame outfits. “We didn’t have the whole tunnel walk and tunnel fits,” she says. “There weren’t cameras there, recording us coming in and what we were wearing.” Instead of preplanned style moments, Swoopes recalls that a T-shirt and shorts were enough when she was suiting up to play. She attributes the differences between then and now to the sponsorships the players are receiving today and the power of social media. “I think it’s great that these women are able to show the world who they are outside of basketball—and to me, that has been one of the biggest growths that I’ve seen over the last few years in the WNBA,” Swoopes adds.
Brands like Skims and Mielle Organics are on board with using the name and likeness of players and the league. The former was announced as the official underwear of the league in 2023; the latter became its first textured hair partner that same year. The Virgil Abloh–founded fashion house Off-White also announced a multiyear partnership with the New York Liberty last year. These wins indicate the level of impact that the WNBA has had since its inception. However, it has taken an influx of players wearing high-end brands to usher in this latest chapter of endorsement and sponsorship deals.
The incorporation of ready-to-wear designs into game-day outfits has risen in recent years for women pro athletes. That’s similar to what we’re seeing in the NBA and the NFL. During the season, key moments—like the embrace of brands such as Diesel and Louis Vuitton—cannot be ignored. A’ja Wilson, a killer center with the Las Vegas Aces, wore each of these labels in 2024. The degree of sophistication she has been showcasing was rare to spot ahead of games until the last year or so. And in her lauded rookie season in 2024, the Chicago Sky’s Reese, a Reebok athlete, was regularly seen carrying Chanel flap-over bags and wearing an assortment of girly pieces, jerseys, Reebok sets and minidresses. She was notably a stylish figure within the league all season long.
Stylists and fashion architects have helped to elevate the images of these women athletes; and to popularize the well-tailored items they are donning. One player, Wilson, has been the most elevated version of herself due to her stylist, Amadi Brooks, with whom she started working in 2023. Wilson was spotted in runway designs by Sergio Hudson and in a custom Burberry outfit comprised of a sleek zip-up jacket and a tennis-inspired skirt during last year’s All-Star Weekend. Brooks was responsible for each moment.
As the WNBA season was winding down, Brooks—herself a former Division 1 basketball player—shared over a video call that she got her start on the fashion side of the league by styling her friend, former player Chloe Pavlech. Prior to that, she was an assistant stylist to designer and stylist Robin Harris. Brooks, who has her master’s in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky University, offers a streetwear-inspired twist to some looks, for clients like Wilson and her teammate Sydney Colson.
Brooks might have access to high-end brands now, but when she was beginning her work with Wilson, things were different. Five years ago, people weren’t buying into fashion worn by WNBA athletes. The stylist explains that she aims to make her clients feel like “the superstars that they are”—and declares that no matter how big the WNBA platform gets, she will continue supporting Black designers.
Celebrity stylist Kristine Anigwe is another force within the industry. Anigwe, a former player for the Phoenix Mercury, is skilled at design and creative direction. She has enhanced the pregame style of Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, Aces’ Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut Sun’s Olivia Nelson-Ododa and others. Thanks to Anigwe, Diggins-Smith is often dressed in futuristic items. The two have worked together for three years; Diggins-Smith started out wearing custom pieces from Anigwe’s brand.
“She takes the time to listen to your preferences and offers expert advice, ensuring that you feel confident,” says Hayes of Anigwe. “Her enthusiasm is contagious, and her dedication is evident in everything she does.” The guard regularly dons expressive textures for her tunnel outfits; Anigwe notes that this stems from her affinity for vibrant colors and well-structured garments.
Another Anigwe client, Nelson-Ododa, has had a recent meteoric rise within the fashion industry. The 6’5″ player comes across to her fans as real-life corporate Barbie doll, wearing chic blazers, cheeky lingerie and statement pieces by Diesel. Anigwe says this was indeed a goal for her in 2024. “That was the Barbie era,” she explains. Nelson-Ododa credits her stylist with helping her carve out a unique look. “Through her guidance, I’ve discovered that personal style isn’t just about clothes. It’s a powerful form of self-expression that flows into other aspects of life,” she says.
While each of these players wears different brands ahead of games, one thing is clear: Anigwe, Brooks and other stylists who key in on women in the WNBA have a dedication to their craft that has forced the mainstream media to pay attention. Convention goes out of the window with these fashion architects, and their clients are benefiting from it. Whether in Diesel, Sergio Hudson or emerging brands, WNBA players are now in the spotlight—and all that attention is undoubtedly opening doors for them off the court as well. “To be recognized for our style and our individuality,” Swoopes concludes, “and to show that we’re more than just a basketball player—I think that’s just what we’ve always wanted.”
