Report: NBA players must be in uniform, warmup gear upon arrival for games

When the NBA resumes later this month, don't expect a red carpet-like fashion show as teams stroll into the arena.

A new protocol states that all players must "be in uniform and warmups when they arrive" to the game, sources told ESPN's Nick DePaula.

The move is reportedly an extra precautionary COVID-19 measure. To promote social distancing and sanitization, players will change clothes in their hotel rooms instead of the on-site team locker rooms, which don't feature any showers.

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker, who's an avid sneaker collector and known for his fashion sense, wasn't a big fan of the new procedure.

"That is crazy," Tucker said. "I think that takes away (from) originally what getting dressed was all about. It wasn't even about the tunnel walk, it was more about getting dressed up and going to work.

"To me, it's like a mindset, getting dressed and getting ready to go to my game. It puts me in the mindset that I'm ready to work and helps me find my focus."