NBA Fines Player $25,000 For Wearing Classic '80s Band T-Shirt
Jalen Williams' choice of attire for his post-game interview was "one step beyond" for the NBA.
Jalen kept it cool and casual on Sunday's post-game press conference after his team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, crushed the Denver Nuggets, 125-93, to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
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During the May 18 presser, the All-Star forward wore a black jacket, chains, and a shirt for the second-wave ska/pop band Madness. The white shirt featured the red silhouettes of dancers (each spelling out the band's name) grooving under the words "[Explicative] ART / LET'S DANCE."
It's unclear if Jalen is a fan of two-tone ska or if he picked up the shirt because of its message. However, he's clearly $25,000 poorer. The NBA announced a day after his press conference that Jalen was fined for "wearing clothing with profane language."
You can see Jalen's shirt in the footage of TikTok user 3ptcnvrsn.
Jalen scored 24 points, had seven assists and five rebounds during the dramatic game seven between the Nuggets and the Thunder. His actions certainly helped his team secure a spot in the conference finals.
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Madness formed in Camden Town, London, in 1976. They were part of the "second wave" of ska that fused Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae with elements of punk, new wave and pop. Madness helped popularize the sound alongside bands like the Specials, the Selecter, The Beat, and Bad Manners.
Madness found commercial success with songs like "One Step Beyond," "Baggy Trousers," "House of Fun," and "Our House—their first big hit in the United States. The band continues to perform, having released its twelfth album, Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie, in 2023.
Jalen Williams will soon have to pick out a league-approved outfit. The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first game of the NBA Western Conference Finals tonight (Tuesday, May 20).
Related: Notorious '80s Band Shares Clip of 'Greatest American Bandstand Appearance'
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