Players, of course, are important, but they’re parts of a whole, and it’s the coach that makes the ensemble greater than the sum of its parts.

The fashionable and stylish ballers are the whole reason for this site’s existence, and there are some damn snazzy dressers in the NBA. Here are four coaches who put them to shame.

 

Byron Scott is a well-dressed man. Even as the Cavaliers head into a sustained losing streak, his wardrobe remains unflappable. The 18th coach for the Cavaliers, Scott was brought in to rebuild the team, and he leads the way in style.

 

 

Taking on the press, Scott looks great in this Italian cut charcoal suit and blue patterned tie, with matching handkerchief.

Even off the court, Scott looks smart. At the February after-party for HBO’s premiere of Magic & Bird: Courtship of Rivals, Scott wore this dark blue blazer contrasting with a light blue ribbed shirt.

Matching him in style at the party was Magic Johnson, in a startling silver three-piece, set against a gold tie.

As he goes forward with his stint as the coach of the Cavs, Scott remains one of the best dressed coaches in the NBA. Among other things, he goes down in history as one of the few men in the world who can rock a tiny mustache.

 

Speaking of facial hair, let’s talk about former coach Don Nelson for a moment.

We mentioned Scott’s mustache above, so we should point out that Nelson has one of those Michael Gambon-esque faces that could easily wear a great beard. Instead, he’s stayed shaven for most of his career, depriving fans of glorious Phil Jackson-style whiskers.

And check out this killer silver pinstriped suit neatly contrasting with a black shirt.

His style forgoes bold colours in favour of a clean, professional look working with shades. But if you like colour, don’t worry: our next two coaches have got it covered.

 

Known for his tight grip on his teams, the New Jersey Nets coach Avery Johnson favours dark, sharply cut two piece suits and bold coloured ties set against white shirts.

 

At the July press conference that marked Rod Thorn’s departure from the Nets franchise, Johnson works the look again with a suit with a clean American cut and that same flash of red.

 

Avery Johnson may not let up on the Nets, and it’s certainly true that he doesn’t let up on his own fashion.

 

All of the coaches on this list have their own style.

When Don Nelson and Byron Scott aren’t wearing classically cut suits with complimentary ties, they’re rocking blazers and ribbed shirts. Every second appearance of Avery Johnson emphasizes his use of brightly coloured ties against dark suits and white shirts.

 

If blue isn’t to your taste, check out this subtly checkered grey-green jacket complimented by a yellow-and-brown striped tie. Two different colour styles, each completely different, yet the man looks great in either.

It just goes to show: sometimes the real excitement at a game is where the coaches are.