Links: The Fashion (Non)Sense of Walter Herrmann
Because women go crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man…
Three years ago, the NBA instituted a dress code. Tired of players rocking jeans and throwbacks jerseys to games, the David Stern Robot had seen enough. According to the 
official dress code, players are required to wear “business attire” while on team business. The rule further stipulates that players who are sitting on the bench but not playing “are required to wear the following additional items when seated on the bench or in the stands during the game: Sport Coat; Dress shoes or boots, and socks.”
Going by the letter of the law, Detroit Pistons reserve forward Walter Herrmann is technically within his rights to dress the way he’s been dressing throughout the postseason. Though we was active for a few games, most of the postseason has found 
Herrmann inactive and parked on the bench, cheering his team on. And wearing some of the stangest suits in recent NBA history.
It’s not enough that Herrmann looks like Fabio and apparently cultivates that look; his flowing blond locks are inarguably a thing of majesty, befitting of an American Gladiator. No, Herrmann is also trying to distingish himself by wearing a succession of open-necked suits and shirts straight out of the ’70s, similar to a character in “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.”
While his strange style is constantly on parade during telecasts (every time the cameras point to the Detroit bench, there he is, in full plumage), finding photos of Herrmann all decked out is not easy. I suppose the NBA photographers were told not to focus on the guys sitting on the bench and instead shoot the action. Hey, our loss. 
Instead, the images accompanying this post are all I could find, despite spending the better part of an hour today combing through Getty Images as meticulously as Herrmann must comb his hair. Like Kobe coming off a screen, we don’t get a lot of clear looks. These pictures are the best I could do, a collection of fleeting glimpses of Herrmann’s majesty.
I suppose the possibility exists that Herrmann is just fashion-forward and leaving the rest of us behind, or that perhaps we are witnessing some sort of cultural disconnect that just doesn’t make sense to us wacky Americans (although I haven’t seen Herrmann’s countrymen Manu Ginobili or Andres Nocioni dressing like this). Whatever the reasoning, it is obvious that Walter Herrmann is his own man, unafraid to flout convention and instead style and profile.
71 Responses to “Links: The Fashion (Non)Sense of Walter Herrmann”
May.29 at 3:11 pm
Dizzle says:
First?
May.29 at 3:11 pm
H to the izzo says:
If he bearded up like Billy Gibbons,he’d officially be my favorite player of all time.
May.29 at 3:20 pm
Diesel says:
If Disney ever makes a live action Beauty and The Beast movie I think they’ve found their guy.
May.29 at 3:21 pm
k.o. says:
hahaha, i’ve never even heard of this guy. if i didn’t consider u so credible lang, i’d question if these had been photoshopped
May.29 at 3:26 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
We should do a Walter Hermann photoshoot where he looks like the cover of one of those romance novels.
May.29 at 3:30 pm
Diesel says:
Yes Sam! Someone send Walter a Puffy Pirate shirt that he can unbutton to his navel - stat.
May.29 at 3:31 pm
RM # 0 says:
It kinda reminded me of the Scarface ‘movie fashion’
May.29 at 3:33 pm
AP says:
I love how now he wants his last name to be pronounced like it is not hermaaan…
He can ball though..will always remember when he started playing the second half of the year when he was a rookie in charlotte…made 2nd team all rookies hes played in stints this post season…played a lot against orlando b/c of his size…if gets more consistent pt nxt year he could be a solid bench player
May.29 at 3:41 pm
Toney Blare says:
i don’t know, compared to those 3rd world dictator coats that, say, Chauncey wears, i kinda like his style. what?
May.29 at 3:50 pm
5mooth says:
hands off Fabio!
May.29 at 3:56 pm
SMK says:
click my name for a link to Hermann’s infamous “naked dunk” during a Spanish League dunk contest… the dude is not shy
May.29 at 4:07 pm
Gumdrop says:
No SMK I won’t.
May.29 at 4:08 pm
BOOM shaka LOCKA says:
LOL @ Toney blare
May.29 at 4:10 pm
Gumdrop says:
Also, I’ve got to say, why is AI not allowed to wear a throwback while Herman dresses like that, Scott Pollard has continuously had the world’s ugliest facial hair, and Craig Sager parades on TV every night looking like he got wrapped in wallpaper. I demand justice!
May.29 at 4:23 pm
Myles Brown says:
I bet the insides of his jackets have mushrooms on em. He’s got to COordinate…
May.29 at 4:34 pm
Silky Slim says:
Lang is a hater!!!!!
May.29 at 4:34 pm
Silky Slim says:
Lang wishes he was fly like Hermann!!!!!
May.29 at 4:36 pm
BETCATS says:
if he grew some chest hair, he could be an 80’s le$bian p0rn star!
May.29 at 4:38 pm
H to the izzo says:
It tells a lot about my dress sense that I don’t find his that bad.
May.29 at 4:47 pm
Diesel says:
Izzo - that’s ok…as long as you’re a stripper or something
May.29 at 4:47 pm
H to the izzo says:
Diesel:Thankfully,I am.
May.29 at 4:53 pm
jbn74sb says:
Personally, I think it’s a good look. Despite the fact that he gets no time, you know this dude is pulling +ss like a tractor.
Eboy would like to add his two cents to this post, but he is too busy spanking it to Hermann’s pics. Our loss, I suppose…
May.29 at 4:55 pm
BETCATS says:
he looks like he robbed Magnum PI’s work attire closet. I just went their
May.29 at 4:55 pm
H to the izzo says:
Bodie:You don’t come around as often as you used to but when you do you make them memorable inappropriate gems,I salute you.
May.29 at 5:10 pm
Sparker says:
guys who dress like that are gettin’ busy, no doubt. ’cause the man obviously has confidence
May.29 at 5:15 pm
Diesel says:
“Women pay me to pleasure them”
May.29 at 5:30 pm
Tariq says:
The announcers over here insist that Walter Herrmann is the “backup point guard of the Orlando Magic”. This is evidently because both he an Jameer Nelson wear number 5.
May.29 at 5:34 pm
Tariq says:
And I noticed Walter Herrmann’s fashionistic splendor from the bench last night. It was as if the balance of the entire solar system was maintained only by the hue of his sports coat. If he ever wore a vest or something, I’m pretty sure Neptune would spin off its axis.
May.29 at 6:03 pm
jbn74sb says:
On a different note, wasn’t this dude decent for Charlotte as an 87 year old rookie?
May.29 at 6:18 pm
ciolkstar says:
Aside from the hair and the wide open collars, dude’s style is not that bad. Definitely better than the civil war shoulder clasp jackets that suddenly everyone on a playoff team in th East is wearing.
May.29 at 6:22 pm
Eboy says:
Surprisingly, I was going to direct everyone to Bodie’s Myspace page to see the Seperated at Birth wardrobe photos that show him and Herrmann in the same fashion light. Of course he was dreaming of me in a provacative way, so things never change, it seems.
May.29 at 6:24 pm
Eboy says:
*provocative
May.29 at 7:11 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
I’m watching Scarface on Cinemax HD right now, and all of the dudes in the movie are dressed like Herrmann.
May.29 at 7:41 pm
RiseKing says:
That’s He-Man3000 right there, Battlecat and Skeletor can’t be far behind.
May.29 at 7:49 pm
Tariq says:
Lang,
That is an accurate observation. His wardrobe IS right outta Scarface.
May.29 at 7:54 pm
Eboy says:
“Your womb is polluted”
May.29 at 8:05 pm
Tariq says:
I can’t get the image of Walter Hermann watching TV in a gigantic bathtub out of my head now. Thanks, Lang.
May.29 at 8:14 pm
Surya says:
I’ve seen much worse from other players on the bench. I guess it’s a little funny because of his locks but I don’t think it’s close to the level of Craig Sager. He’s a really good player too, he needs more minutes next year!
May.29 at 8:16 pm
nothin personal says:
He actually isn’t that bad. He is a scoring machine with a nose for the big shot, that can rebound decently. Only problem is that he is crazy as hell, and a liability in defence. Think Tony Delk, only 6′8″
May.29 at 8:17 pm
nothin personal says:
And he absolutely killed my native Greece in the 2004 Olympics. I hate this guy.
May.29 at 8:34 pm
albie1kenobi says:
you guys are a riot. when did this site become Joan rivers show?
i think his style is a good look. i’d copy it except i don’t have flowing locks like him, so i’d just look… how do i say this… metrosexual?
May.29 at 8:47 pm
gii says:
smoooooth. i like it. now a fan of WH.
May.29 at 8:52 pm
je says:
yeah - i said in the notes that on the bench yesterday he looked straight out of Sosa’s entourage. i was waiting for him to come sneaking up from behind during one of KG’s intensity fits.
May.29 at 9:30 pm
Garrett says:
This is almost as good as people coming out of the wood work to declare their love for Phil Collins.
May.29 at 10:19 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
Do NOT front on Phil Collins.
May.29 at 10:31 pm
Dallas J says:
He wasn’t dressing this fly in Charlotte was he?
May.29 at 11:38 pm
Eric says:
“wacky Americans”? Maybe underdeveloped or culturally/stylistically challenged would be better adjectives?
Oh wait, fortunately for you guys you do have guys like Shaq and Agent Zero sporting even “stranger” suits, if by strange you mean original, classy and/or with aesthetic nods to other eras. And no, the polo shirt and levis look is none of those.
May.30 at 12:30 am
Chukaz says:
Is Walter Herrmann really from Argentina or is he the son of the son of someone from Argentina. His name just doesn’t sound Latino. Does Earl Watson sound Mexican? No and neither does Walter Herrmann.
May.30 at 1:09 am
Julian says:
wonderfully incongruous. i either see him bewitching some gowned covergirl as he rows them through the canals of Venice or leading a surprise attack on a village in Newfoundland with his fellow vikings. in those clothes.
May.30 at 2:53 am
Chou says:
Rush, rush to the yeyo..
May.30 at 3:38 am
Michael says:
I think Walter looks pretty smooth..also looks like he should play for ac milan.
May.30 at 3:45 am
German Reignman says:
Oh NO, people please: Do NOT get Lang started on Phil Collins again … one of the spookiest Posts in the history of slamonline.com, if some of you remember …
May.30 at 4:13 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Albie: do you mean to suggest Herrmann doesn’t look metrosexual..? Beg to differ, sir.
May.30 at 4:39 am
phildo says:
@Chukaz: Argentinia is a country whos population to a big part has ancestors from a variety of european countries (mainly southern european states like portugal, spanin, italy greece,…). In WH´s case the name is defenitely german in its roots
May.30 at 4:41 am
phildo says:
by the way: I just got back from a business trip to Hong Kong and China and saw huge ads for a shoe and clothing line from Luis Scola which you didn´t touch in your argentinian clothing observation Lang. Couldn´t find anything about Damon Jones stuff these days though…
May.30 at 10:03 am
duke4005 says:
All I can hear right now: “Hey ladies…get funkeee”.
May.30 at 10:27 am
Tariq says:
“Oh now Billy…Billy don’t you lose my number…’Cause you’re not anywhere…That I can’t find you!”
May.30 at 10:41 am
Eboy says:
“No you’ll never change her, so leave it, leave it
Get out quick ‘cos seeing is believing
Its the only way
You’ll ever know”
May.30 at 11:17 am
Lang Whitaker says:
VH1 Classic’s Classic Albums on Face Value should be required viewing.
May.30 at 11:21 am
Eboy says:
Co-sign.
May.30 at 12:17 pm
Missy says:
Whoa… Flip looks like a vampire about to take a bite out of Tayshaun in the 3rd picture.
May.30 at 12:20 pm
Missy says:
Glad he left MN so I don’t have to carry around garlic or holy water or cross swords (or whatever kills those blood suckers).
May.30 at 12:37 pm
Silky Slim says:
@Missy: LOL!!!
May.30 at 2:33 pm
Don Flamenco says:
WH’s style is a smooth as can be.
However, he does look out of place in a culturally underdeveloped city like Detroit - and obviously underappreciated.
American’s are not known for their sense of style so the comments here are not too surprising. He would look better on the end of the bench for the Lakers, Heat, Raptors, Suns or Knicks. WH would absolutely own South Beach. I do however agree his hair is a little effeminate.
May.30 at 4:00 pm
AC says:
DF… Crazy slash on Motor City… But I do agree with the fact the WH ain’t looking bad. He obviously hates ties… can anybody really blame him?
May.31 at 4:52 am
Reggie Evans says:
Andy Gibbs
Jun.1 at 9:30 am
maw says:
Herrmann looks like a pimp from the 80s.
Jun.2 at 5:12 pm
SOUSS says:
What about the horrendous 5 boutons suits that nba players (specially black players) wear???
Jun.3 at 10:00 am
Mark Z says:
He looks like some cheesy b movie actor who likes to hang with basketball players.
Jun.4 at 12:34 am
Dacre says:
GUYS OVER 6′5 CANT WEAR NORMAL TIES BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH AND THEY KNOT UP REAL HIGH SO YOUR LITTLE KNOT IS TINY….MICHAEL JORDAN HAS A TINY KNOT.
Jun.6 at 4:27 am
Jeter says:
I regret reading a couple of lines of this article. Cyberspace waste.