Once-rarethrowbackjerseys,atrendcatapultedbyhip-hopartists,cannowbeboughtanywheresweatsocksaresold.Tocapitalizeoffthethrowbackcraze,theNBAcreatedHardwoodClassicNights,whicharegameswhenteamsweartheirfranchise'soldschooluniforms-arelativefashionshowofjerseys.

　　Butiship-hopfineforprofitbutoffensiveonthecourt?TheNBA,attimes,seemsembarrassedbyit'srelationshipwiththeculture.

　　Severalplayershavebeenfinedforwearingshortstoolong(ofcourse,oversizedgearisastapleofhip-hopculture).AllenIverson'stattooswereairbrushedoutonthecoverofHoopMagazine,anNBApublication.

　　Theleaguealsodiscouragedhangingontherimandtauntingviatechnicalfouls.

　　"Itcomesdowntoagenerationaldifference,"saidBoyd,whooverseasthestudyofraceandpopularcultureinUSC'sSchoolofCinema-Television.

　　"Thegate-keepersoftheNBAareolderandwhite.Theywanttomaketheleagueouttobesomethingtofittheminsteadoftakingtheleagueforwhatitis.It'snotjustracial.Therearemanyblackpeoplewhodon'tlikehip-hopeither.It'sagenerationaldifference.Peoplefromoldergenerationswanttoimposetheirbeliefsontheyoungergeneration."

　　LosAngelesClippersforwardEltonBrandsaidamistakeismadewhenhip-hopisaffixedjusttothosewhoareboisterousandunruly,tothosewhoshow-outonthecourtandgetintroubleoffit.

　　Hesaidpeopleneedtorealizesomeofthegoodguysintheleague-theKevinGarnetts,theDerekFishers,theRichardHamiltons-alsofitundertheumbrellaofhip-hop.

　　"Hip-hopisnotjustgangstarapandpartymusic,"Brandsaid."I'msuretheylookatsomeonelivingahip-hoplifestyleassomeonewithbraids,tattoos,theysmokeweed.Theydon'tseetheotherguysaship-hop."