The Toronto Raptors have spent much of the past month without Scottie Barnes in the lineup as he recovers from a right orbital fracture.
While fans miss his presence on the court, Barnes has kept himself in the spotlight with his unique fashion choices.
Last week, he made waves with an outfit that sparked comparisons to Arthur the cartoon aardvark. On Monday night, he upped the ante, showing up to Toronto’s game against the Indiana Pacers dressed as a Western hero.
Decked out in dark denim, a white cowboy hat, and a pair of sharp, pointy-toe boots, the 23-year-old Raptors star turned heads at Scotiabank Arena. But as it turns out, this bold look wasn’t entirely his idea — it was inspired by a dare.
The cowboys have arrived 🐎 pic.twitter.com/grYR58rVX7
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 18, 2024
On Sunday, X user @DRaps04 engaged in a playful back-and-forth with Barnes after commenting on a video of the Florida native wearing a black suit likened to something John Wilkes Booth might wear. Barnes playfully defended the look, leading the fan to challenge him: “Wear a Bruce Brown [Jr.] fit next game.”
Barnes delivered, channelling Bruce Brown Jr.’s signature country-inspired style with impressive accuracy.
All glory to God man 🙏😭 https://t.co/9jQlfVAkkh pic.twitter.com/wldXXbWNoB
— ᴅ (@DRaps04) November 19, 2024
Barnes appeared to get the ultimate seal of approval from his teammate when they sat together at the game, looking like a real pair of rustlers.
Who did the Cowboy look better tonight – Scottie Barnes or Bruce Brown? 🤠
(📸: @NBACanada) pic.twitter.com/caHsubQyPR
— theScore (@theScore) November 19, 2024
Legendary NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith later got in on the fun too, dropping a cowboy hat photo of his own.
I see you @BruceBrown11 @ScottBarnes561 https://t.co/3K7zuUkb8x pic.twitter.com/WDaE3ZBLl7
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 19, 2024
Barnes’ bold fashion sense is nothing new. Back in 2023, he explained to Daily Hive how he goes about picking his outfits for games.
“Two hours before [I leave for] the game, I just go through my closet. I’ll just try different stuff, see how it looks and how it how it fits,” Barnes said. “I’ll probably call people some people to get their opinions on what [an] outfit looks like. But it’s mostly just me.”
While everyone’s eager to see what he pulls from his closet next, Barnes could soon be back in uniform as he undergoes a medical evaluation on Tuesday.