This exclusive story appears in LEAGUEFITS VOL. 1.

Miles McBride has lived a lot of lives.

From starring under the Friday night lights in Cincinnati, OH, as a high school quarterback to walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week, his journey at only 24 years old has taken him around the world and landed him here: on the court at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks.

“Coming from Ohio and West V, they’re big-time sports places. If you’re an athlete and if you’re good, people are going to know who you are. New York is like a whole different spotlight,” McBride says. “When you’re good, everybody loves you. When you’re not playing as well, people are throwing shade. The way I grew up, I always wanted to rise to the top, so I feel like I was made for it.”

And that seems to be true. He dropped 22 points in just 26 minutes off the bench in the Knicks’ season opener. After being drafted by the team in 2021, McBride, otherwise known as “Deuce,” has consistently proven his dedication to the game—and the lifestyle. This year, he is putting up his biggest numbers yet. 

“He’s evolved so much since moving to New York. The city and his team have really helped elevate him as a person,” explains Chantelle Thach, his stylist of two years. “ I’ve been trying to grow his style where it reflects the way he plays on the court, too.  He’s more serious now.”

“I feel like as I get a little older, I might have to tap more into suits,” McBride says with a laugh, as he sifts through piles of embellished jackets and collared shirts strewn across the cream sofa in his living room. “More of an official look. A tailored look.”

But for now? He’s in experimentation mode. 

There are a few things to know about McBride: his favorite brand is Chrome Hearts. His pregame hype artist is Lil Durk. His doorman still ties his tie (something McBride admittedly has never been good at). Perhaps most notably, he has an abnormal collection of hats. And by abnormal, we mean extensive. So it seems like a natural occurrence for him to be standing here in front of his full-length mirror, tucking his braids beneath a maroon Aimé Leon Dore and a vintage Cincinnati Reds hat in deep contemplation. He switches between the two, asking Thach for her opinion before nodding in satisfaction at the latter (declaring that either way, his face card “never declines”) and taking the elevator down to the Chelsea streets below to shoot his third and final look of the night. 

“Being expressive is really important. I want to try things. For me, it shows that I’m more than a basketball player,” McBride says about his style. 

For Deuce, whose shy smile and deep laugh give way to a much more playful personality than seen on camera, being serious about his game has never held him back from a life of ventures. It’s no surprise he’s one of the few NBA players who can say they walked an international runway. 

“Right before the show, I could see the models getting into a different mindset, and I was kind of comparing it to going out before a game,” he says, reflecting on his experience modeling for NAMESAKE at Paris Fashion Week in July 2023. “ Obviously their job is serious, but I didn’t see how prepared they really got. It was interesting seeing that and talking to them and relating to it.”

As for the NBA, McBride credits Dwyane Wade with being his fashion mentor in the League, referencing their many conversations about individual expression. He also rocks with Tre Mann’s style (“He’s definitely bringing back an early 2000s look”) and even hyped up Jericho Sims for gifting him a blue Avirex jacket during the team’s Secret Santa. “Asking my teammates what they’re wearing [before games] is a whole other conversation starter,” he says. “It’s cool to see how fashion has evolved so much in the League.”

Now, with the Cavaliers/Thunder game as background noise next to a large window perfectly framing the Empire State Building, McBride grabs the handle of a monogrammed Louis Vuitton roller bag before heading out the door for a look that he describes as his “private jet style,” a last-minute decision that proves his affinity for both experimentation and refinement.  

“I have a mindset of, if I like it, I’m gonna rock it. If I’m doing my thing, it gives me more confidence,” he says. “And I bring that to the court.” 

Portraits by The Hapa Blonde

The post From MSG to the Tunnel, Miles McBride is Bringing Creativity to His Fashion Game appeared first on SLAM.