Jude Bradshaw achieves Jort-tastic intramural glory
In the Catholic High intramural world, students don’t see the players’ talent at first; they see their clothing style. Many boys try to stand out on the court, but few are as successful as junior Jude Bradshaw, who plays with a drip-first mentality.
This year, Bradshaw built his fit around an old-school, unconventional article of clothing—Jorts, which are denim pants, cut or professionally sewn into shorts (jeans + shorts = Jorts). Bradshaw chose Jorts for their everyman appeal. “Jorts are for everyone. You can wear them above the knee, at knee-length, or even around the shins,” said Bradshaw.
He also wanted to curate a specific look that harkens back to a baggier time in the NBA. “I wanted to create an early 2000s high school mix-tape vibe, like I could get a bucket on every play,” said Bradshaw. Do buckets bring swag, or does swag bring buckets? For Bradshaw, the two are intertwined. “Jorts create confidence in every baller. If you do not have aura, what can you truly have?”
Bradshaw paired Jorts with a signed Bobby Portis jersey in his first game. Bradshaw won the jersey at a basketball camp at the University of Arkansas. “I was a real hooper as a young man and was one of three campers to win a signed Portis jersey. I also got a picture with him. It was surreal standing next to someone so tall,” said Bradshaw. In his first game, Bradshaw knocked down a high-arching three, and the crowd went wild. “It was stunning. A sight to see: The jersey, Jorts, and J’s completed one of the flyest fits I have ever been blessed to witness,” said junior Cole Simmons.
Bradshaw brought his drip to the parking lot for the first-ever outdoor intramural game. But his team was chosen to be “skins,” which presented a problem: undies. Showing underwear in a game results in a technical foul, and sagging, for Bradshaw, is part of his persona.
Predictably, Bradshaw was T’d up. Classmates gave him a belt so he could continue to ball. “I was not aware before the game that we would be skins, so even when I knew it would draw a tech, I had to play into the crowd. Because, as everyone knows, sag equals swag,” said Bradshaw.
Bradshaw’s fit on the blacktop intimidated players and spectators alike. The aura was almost too much for junior Zach Brown to handle. “It was difficult for me to process how I was going to match the type of player he is. Such swag can do that to the best of us,” said Brown.
Not everyone loves Jorts as much as Bradshaw, or sees their aura-increasing appeal. But that doesn’t stop Bradshaw from expressing himself through denim fashion. “I get trolled by a lot of kids who wear Lulu Lemon. But they will never understand my drip. That is not going to stop me from showing off my swag day in and day out,” said Bradshaw.
Even though Bradshaw’s homeroom didn’t make the finals, he still achieved what he set out to accomplish: spread a denim-positive message wherever he goes. For Bradshaw, there’s no such thing as too much style, particularly when it comes to dungarees. “If a kid saw me wearing Jorts and decided to start wearing them around their friends, that would be cool.”
