The NBA has always had a fair share of fascinating individuals.

Consider Dennis Rodman, whose head resembles a pincushion and who is strangely mates with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un; Darryl Dawkins, who claimed to be an alien from “the planet Lovetron”; or Metta World Peace, who not only sipped luxurious French cognac during halftime at games but also used to call himself Metta World Peace.

Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets may not be as out of the ordinary as some other NBA players, but he is definitely unique. Whereas other basketball players fully embrace the ‘baller’ lifestyle, Irving is more of a hippie. He is a saxophonist, plant-based diet follower, and spiritual person, but he is also a committed activist who draws on his unique ancestry as a half-indigenous, half-African American. Many basketball fans don’t take his peace efforts seriously, but his talent on the court is undeniable.

His style credentials, it appears, are also impeccable. The 28-year-old was spotted before the Nets’ game against the Philadelphia 76ers on the weekend wearing a rather inspired outfit: an Acne Studios jacket, Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1s and some incredibly ‘stacked’ raw denim jeans from cult streetwear brand Vale Forever. Not to mention his walking stick

Image: Richard Ontiveros-Gima

Brooklyn has always been a center for streetwear style, so Kyrie is probably simply trying to fit in. He looks like a true hipster, especially with that Lord of the Rings-style walking stick, but those jeans are simply wonderful. Irving is clearly performing some potent style spells.

‘Stacks’ are the concertina-like folds that raw denim jeans frequently generate due to their thick, inflexible composition. Denim connoisseurs are obsessed with creating flawless stacks, which is one of the main reasons people choose to invest in raw denim – but it’s a bit of a dark art. You’ll need incredibly narrow jeans, just the perfect amount of length, and denim that’s sturdy enough to create stacks but worn-in or soft enough to be comfy (without turning your legs into accordions). They’re an excellent fashion choice for skinny or tall men because the stacks break up the leg line and make you appear less giraffe-like.

Unfortunately, Kyrie’s denim magic was insufficient to help the Nets defeat the Sixers, who won 108–124. The Nets will play the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in the Motor City on Tuesday at 7 p.m. EST (Wednesday at 11 a.m. AEDT).