In recent years, we have lamented the fact that NBA coaches are not getting dressed up for work anymore. It’s not that every sideline general looked straight out of a menswear catalog—some coaches desperately needed a tailor, and even a tailor couldn’t help a few of them. But the guys wore suits, and that was good. Now, thanks to the pandemic sending everyone into casual mode, you will find zero coaches in a suit and tie, nary a cufflink or pocket square in sight. We’ve entered a world of lazy, unimaginative coach style. This year, though, it seems like one man can inspire change: Quin Snyder, head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, is bringing some technicolor to an otherwise dreary world.
Snyder, 57, coached the Utah Jazz from 2014 to 2022. And in that time, he earned a reputation (perhaps only in our minds) for wearing high-end watches and designer belts while yelling out pick-and-roll coverages. After resigning from his perch in Salt Lake City and taking last season off, he’s back this year with a flair fitting for the vibrant city he now inhabits. In his first season helming the Hawks, Snyder is embracing the team’s vivacious red hues. He’s only four games in, but the former Duke Blue Devil has shown a devotion to getting fits off, and a pair of snazzy little red glasses are really stealing the show. (We think they might be the Percey frames from Warby Parker, specifically the raspberry color? No promises, though.) Even as he and his coaching brethren are dressing down, he’s found ways to fit in while still standing out.
Last night’s look for the Hawks’ win over Minnesota was fairly understated—as most of his in-game ensembles have been—but Snyder is executing a timeless getting-dressed strategy: neutral tones with a tasteful pop of color.
This has been his bread and butter since taking over in Atlanta. It’s been exclusively black tops, black bottoms, and black sneakers, with his belt, watch, and eyewear selections drawing most of the attention. The only real variation we’ve seen is in sleeve length. He’s mostly sticking with a short-sleeve polo, but for the season opener in Charlotte he opted for a slightly classier long-sleeve and a Ferragamo belt pulled straight from the Uncut Gems wardrobe department.
Regardless of the sleeve situation, he’s almost always dressed in Johnny Cash black. But, lest you think Coach Snyder is an exclusively monochromatic guy, he strode through the tunnel for an October 29 game in Milwaukee—which ended in a resounding 17-point win for the Hawks—rocking a bright yellow puffer vest.
This is really a welcome sight. A life preserver, if you will, in a sea of banality. Snyder, a native of Mercer Island, Washington, clearly knows a thing or two about layering. As the season progresses and the temperature continues to dip, we’ll see if Snyder breaks out an Arc’teryx or North Face puffer for the all-important walk from the team bus into the arena. Maybe he’ll do an homage to his Pacific Northwest roots and throw on some Eddie Bauer. As long as the fiery red glasses are still in rotation, he’ll look good no matter what.
