Carmelo Anthony’s draft suit from the 2003 NBA Draft has become legendary, and an often joked-about fashion faux pas. The charcoal grey pinstripe suit had a wide-leg fit with no lapels and six oversized buttons, with only the top one buttoned.
It was quite a look, and he wasn’t the only one to sport it. Dwayne Wade famously joked that they had enough fabric to clothe the entire country, as every player on stage during that year’s draft saw their pants touch the floor.
“Where they came from, nobody wore tight clothes; everything was baggy. It was a learning process for everybody; there was a curve. It may have looked good at the time because that’s what they knew,” Anthony’s then-stylist Khalilah Beavers told Bleacher Report nearly 15 years later.
Looking back at it, Beavers was at a loss for words, “They all had the Steve Harvey back-in-the-day thing going on.”
It’s been two decades since that fashion statement was made, and now it’s coming back. At least, that’s what NBA Twitter decided, as The Hollywood Reporter photographed Maestro star Carey Mulligan donning a similar wardrobe that saw comparisons to Anthony’s infamous draft suit.
#Maestro star Carey Mulligan photographed by Austin Hargrave for the Actress #THRRoundtable https://t.co/12Ym13TLcH pic.twitter.com/gpvyTxGxJL
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 4, 2024
There are many great reactions as social media is abuzz with comparisons between Mulligan’s recent oversized suit and Anthony’s infamous 2003 draft suit.
And with the third pick in the 2003 NBA Draft … https://t.co/NEi3HQF8gW
— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) January 4, 2024
— David Astramskas (@redapples) January 4, 2024
https://t.co/uhj5Qy3awa pic.twitter.com/8aSYIUY2B8
— playoff paint (@nba_paint) January 4, 2024
Still can't believe she fell to the 2nd round of the 2003 draft https://t.co/K9IJih3UxZ
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) January 4, 2024
Congrats to Carey for declaring for the 2003 NBA Draft https://t.co/YEVocltCeo
— Carl Carpenter (@CarlonCarpenter) January 4, 2024
“With the 3rd pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, the Vancouver Grizzlies select…” https://t.co/EI7EWlNtOw
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) January 4, 2024
She looks like she just got drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats. https://t.co/jKw2vVQoNT
— Brett W. Huff (@bretthuff22) January 4, 2024
Is she getting drafted by a NBA team in the 90s?
— The Klendathu Cap (@KlendathuCap) January 4, 2024
Anthony’s draft suit has become a popular pop culture meme, forever etched in NBA and fashion history. Mulligan’s homage — clearly unintentional— adds just another layer to the meme’s lifespan.
Sometimes, the most memorable fashion moments come from revisiting the past with a playful, nostalgic twist. And even if it was completely unintentional and Mulligan is unaware of the 2003 NBA Draft, she is dressed for the occasion.
