For the basketball-enthused among us, it’s the most wonderful time of the year: NBA season. The 2025–2026 season is already off to a strong start, with many calling it one of the best openings in recent memory. There have already been two double-overtime games, including the long-awaited Pacers–Thunder Finals rematch, plus a pair of 50-point performances from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Austin Reaves. And, of course, tunnel fits have made their return.
The tunnel has become a hallmark of the game, a ritual in its own right. Before warm-up gear goes on, before pregame shoot arounds, and even before the all-important player-to-player handshake, athletes first make their walk down the tunnel. They often offer a glimpse of their personality through what they wear, and many unveil embargoed signature sneakers or show that they’re not just athletes, they’re fashion lovers, too.
The tunnel has also become a stage for pregame theatrics and subtle, tongue-in-cheek taunts—like Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum both wearing Timberland boots at Madison Square Garden ahead of their playoff games with the New York Knicks. Of course, the tunnel remains fodder for online fashion critics ready to weigh in on every look, and sometimes turn them into memes—like Tyrese Haliburton’s home-opener pink cardigan and brown slacks, quickly dubbed a “substitute teacher fit” by many on the internet.
For the start of the season, players have mixed high fashion brands with emerging streetwear labels. Tyrese Maxey, Derrick White, and Jarred Vanderbilt opted for wearing in-the-know designers like Martine Rose and Kid Super, while Lebron James, Klay Thompson, Victor Wembanyama and Tyrese Haliburton have arrived to games in hallmark luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Miu Miu. And subtle but consistent trends are already emerging: Plaid zip-ups, matching sets, and, like in season’s past, designer dopp kits.
Below, Vogue’s picks for the best tunnel looks of the 2025-2026 NBA season thus far.
