2025 Met Gala Sports and Fashion’s Peak Collision: Wades Shines Red Carpet, James Absents Due to Injury

Water and his wife "spread sugar" on the red carpet, and James' absence became the biggest regret

2025 Met Gala (Metropolitan Museum of Art Charity Dinner) kicked off on May 6. This fashion ceremony with the theme of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" not only focuses on the deep connection between black culture and tailoring art, but also has become the focus of the cross-border integration of sports and fashion due to the participation of many NBA stars.

Former Heat legend Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union made a stunning appearance in a custom dress, becoming the most watched "golden partner" on the red carpet. On the other hand, Lakers superstar LeBron James was absent due to a sprained collateral ligament on the left knee. His wife Savannah James went on a deceased battle and used a high-end dress to interpret the aura of the "Queen's Generation" and aroused the attention and blessing of James' injury across the network.

Wade's fashion journey from the "Flash" on the stadium to the "Model Couple" in the fashion industry

Wade's fashion journey began in the players' era. When he joined the Chicago Bulls in 2016, he caused a topic of talking about his frequent wear of the Bulls hat to watch baseball games. At that time, he showed more sports style. After retiring, Wade gradually transformed into fashion icon: he debuted at an Oscar party with Union in 2022, and served as a judge of the All-Star Dunk Contest in 2023. His style has advanced from a street fashion brand to a luxury high-end custom, and his iconic big back head and slim-fit tailoring suit have become personal labels.

For Met Gala, Wade chose a white velvet suit, paired with retro brooches and handmade leather shoes, paying tribute to the theme "the historical sense of black tailoring art"; Union appeared in a silver tassel skirt, highlighting the curve and metal texture, and the two were rated as "the best CP of the red carpet" by foreign media.

49-year-old Union has frequently been on the hot searches for her hot figure. As an actor and writer, she has spoken publicly about the ups and downs of her marriage with Wade (including Wade cheating during marriage and having an illegitimate child), but the two eventually became a model couple by inclusion and repairing their relationship. This time, her confident posture not only showed her personal charm, but was also interpreted as a strong declaration of "Black women's body aesthetics" - just as she was in her autobiography "Do you have something stronger?" 》: "My existence itself is a kind of resistance."

Behind James' injury retreat: the "physical cost" of athletes and family support

This is not the first time that James has affected an important itinerary due to injury. In 2021, he took the regular season due to an ankle injury, but he still insisted on participating in the All-Star Game; in 2023, he returned early with an injury to help the Lakers make the playoffs, admitting that he "received three rehabilitation treatments a day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.." The absence of Met Gala this time is not only a physical warning, but also a profound reflection of the "cross-border cost of professional athletes".

Savana's unique role not only continued the fashion influence of the James family, but also highlighted her independent identity as an entrepreneur (founder of the home brand "Home Court") and a philanthropist. Fashion commentator Marisa Goldman commented: "Savana's elegance and power are perfectly in line with the theme of this year - she does not need to rely on her husband, she is the focus." Why does Met Gala need NBA stars? The black sports and fashion’s right to speak

This year, Met Gala is centered on "black dress culture" and invites many black elites in the sports world to participate in the planning. In addition to Wade and James, F1 champion Lewis Hamilton (both honorary chairman) is regarded as a representative of "sports empowering fashion."

The traditional fashion industry once regarded athletes as "muscle vases", but now black stars are reshaping industry rules through creative cooperation and personal branding. For example: After retiring, Wade invested in Jazz shares and served as a TNT commentator across the border. His dressing style was rated as a "sports transformation template" by "GQ";

James has frequently appeared in Met Gala since 2019, and in 2023 he sparked the topic with an all-black suit. In 2024, he appeared on stage with Savanna, and gradually promoted from "guest" to "honor chairman".

James has repeatedly conveyed social issues through clothing: wearing "Equality" sweatshirts in 2020 to support the equal rights movement, and wearing an African totem brooch in 2023 to pay tribute to the black cultural heritage. Although Met Gala was unfortunately absent, its team revealed that it originally planned to echo the "black tailoring history" through the details of the dress, such as integrating traditional African fabrics and modern deconstruction design.

Wade and James' "Brotherhood": From the Heat's Big Three to the best friend in life

Wade and James' friendship began in 2010 during the Heat's Big Three. The two have experienced four finals and two championships together, and have left countless classic link shots. Even though James returned to the Cavaliers in 2014, Wade still publicly supported: "His decision is for his family, and I will always understand." At the Met Gala scene in 2025, Wade joked in an interview: "LeBron can't come, but I took two more photos for him!" Then he said seriously: "His health is more important than any event, and we make an appointment to walk the red carpet together next year." This kind of "brothers support each other" friendship has continued from the stadium to the fashion industry and has become a topic for fans to talk about.

Unien and Savanna have a close personal relationship and often attend charity events together. This time in Met Gala, the two were photographed hugging and taking a photo. Savanna even forwarded Union's red carpet photo with the caption "My Inspiration". This "family-style linkage" further consolidates the influence of the two major NBA families.

When sports legend meets fashion epic: Met Gala's apocalypse

In 2025, Met Gala shows the infinite possibilities of fusion of sports and fashion due to the participation of NBA stars: Wades and his wife use red carpet style to interpret the diversity of black aesthetics, and James' absence reminds the world of the cruelty and warmth of competitive sports. This grand event is not only a carnival of fragrant clothes, but also a profound dialogue about identity, culture and inheritance.