Naomi Osaka has made a habit of turning her tennis arrivals into fashion moments, but her latest look at the 2026 US Open came with a particularly iconic reference. For her first-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Osaka paid tribute to NBA legend Allen Iverson in a custom Who Decides War ensemble that blended basketball’s streetwear legacy with the theatricality of New York fashion.
The look arrived as Nike’s latest tennis kits draw inspiration from basketball, giving Osaka the perfect opportunity to experiment with one of her own style influences. With Law Roach behind the styling and Who Decides War translating the concept into clothing, the result was part sports uniform, part couture statement, and part personal tribute to an athlete who helped redefine how sports stars could dress.
Naomi Osaka Channels Allen Iverson at the US Open
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Osaka entered Arthur Ashe Stadium beneath the hood of a dramatic gray robe, layered over a long white tulle and French terry gown. Sewn into the garment were newspaper clippings highlighting moments from her career, turning the outfit into something deeply personal rather than simply a reference to basketball.
But the inspiration became unmistakable when Osaka removed the hood.
Her cornrows, headband, and arm sleeve immediately recalled Allen Iverson’s signature NBA-era style. The former Philadelphia 76ers star famously embraced cornrows and a headband during his career, helping bring elements of street culture into mainstream sports fashion at a time when professional athletes faced much stricter expectations around appearance.
Osaka’s interpretation was less about recreating Iverson’s uniform and more about capturing his attitude. “It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” she said following her first-round victory.
For a tennis star who has consistently challenged conventional ideas of what an athlete should look like, the connection feels natural.
The Basketball Influence Behind the Look
Naomi Osaka’s homage to Allen Iverson:
“For me he’s a trailblazer. He’s also someone I look up to a lot because he’s kind of done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not. But he’s shifted the way NBA players dress. I also think the whole conversation around clothes in… https://t.co/Z1mQOqH62Q pic.twitter.com/KzZaLsYUBk
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 1, 2026
The relationship between tennis and basketball might seem unexpected, but Nike’s basketball-inspired direction gave Osaka room to explore the crossover. She immediately gravitated toward Iverson because of his influence both on and off the court.
“He was an elite player on the court but also found a way to authentically merge culture, sports, and fashion,” Osaka told Vogue.
That idea sits at the heart of the look. The gray sweatsuit-inspired elements reference Iverson’s casual approach, while the oversized tulle silhouette introduces the kind of exaggerated femininity and theatricality that has become part of Osaka’s tournament style.
The result also reflects the city around her. Osaka has described the US Open as a homecoming of sorts, and she wanted the outfit to reflect New York’s ability to mix sports, streetwear, and high fashion without adhering too closely to one aesthetic.
“I also try to consider my kit as well, so something in the streetwear world made the most sense to me,” she said.
Who Decides War Turns Career History Into Fashion
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For Who Decides War designers Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore, the challenge was turning Osaka and Roach’s references into something that felt authentic to the brand. The design duo reportedly had roughly 30 hours to develop the look after receiving two images of Iverson wearing a headband.
The newspaper clippings became one of the outfit’s most distinctive details. Osaka was immediately enthusiastic when Roach introduced the idea shortly before her fitting, giving the otherwise basketball-inspired design a direct connection to her own career.
That personal element is what separates the ensemble from a straightforward athlete tribute. Instead of simply wearing an Iverson-inspired outfit, Osaka effectively placed her own sporting history inside it.
The silhouette also carried another fashion reference. It nodded to a fall 2020 Off-White dress created by D’Amore and Bravado’s late mentor, Virgil Abloh. The original design had been considered controversial when it debuted, making its inclusion here particularly fitting for Osaka’s boundary-pushing approach to fashion.
Naomi Osaka Keeps Redefining Tennis Style
Fashion has increasingly become part of Osaka’s visual language at major tournaments. At Wimbledon earlier this year, she embraced a kimono-inspired look, while her Australian Open ensemble took inspiration from the jellyfish stories she shares with her daughter.
The US Open look feels different because its references stretch beyond fashion. Allen Iverson represents an athlete who helped redefine the relationship between sports, identity, and clothing, making him a particularly meaningful figure for Osaka.
She has openly credited Iverson with changing how NBA players approached fashion and has said she admires the way he used clothing as a form of self-expression.
That admiration also received a response from Iverson himself. Although the pair have never spoken, Iverson acknowledged Osaka’s tribute on Instagram after her match, writing that he was a big fan and looked forward to meeting her.
A Fashion Statement Before the First Ball
Naomi Osaka beat Anastasia Zakharova 7-6, 7-6 in the first round of the U.S. Open.
“I just get really nervous during the first round of this tournament because I wanna do well… and I wanna show you guys some more outfits”, said Osaka.
The World No. 13 came into the match…
— EssentiallySports (@ES_sportsnews) September 1, 2026
Of course, Osaka’s entrance was followed by the more immediate business of tennis. She defeated Anastasia Zakharova 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3) in a tightly contested first-round match, advancing to the second round in straight sets.
Still, the fashion statement had already been made.
The 2026 US Open has given Osaka another stage to demonstrate why her tournament wardrobes have become almost as closely watched as her performances. This time, she used that stage to honor Allen Iverson while bringing together streetwear, sports history, personal storytelling, and New York fashion.
It was a fitting tribute from one boundary-pushing athlete to another, and a reminder that for Naomi Osaka, stepping onto a tennis court has never meant leaving fashion at the door.
Featured image: Sebastian Arriagada for Naomi Osaka
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