Former eighth overall pick T.J. Ford has recently opened up aboutĀ that memorable rookie photo shoot, where he sported a pair of never-before-seen shorts. This was way back in 2003, and baggy shorts were very much in fashion at that time, but Ford took it to a whole nother level.

Before anything else, let us refresh your memory with the actual snaps from Ford's avant-garde fashion statement:

According to Ford, he actually had nothing to do with his wardrobe choice during the day of the shoot:

ā€œYou have to do the rookie-transition program,ā€ Ford started, via James Posey of BasketballNews.com. ā€œI don't know how it was for you, Poz, but they had the gym set up at the Knicks' practice facility. It's where you did all the media and you did all the stuff for the video games and that's where they gave everybody their uniforms. So, when I got there, that's what the Bucks had sent me. I'm like, ā€˜Yoā€¦ What? What you want me to do with this?' They were like, ā€˜That's all we've got. It's either you wear them or you won't get these photos.' I'm like, ā€˜Shoot, I wanna have my rookie card. I ain't gonna miss this.' So hey, we gotta do what we gotta do!ā€

Ford stands 6-foot flat, and obviously, he is not one of the tallest players in the history of the sport. However, if what Ford is saying here is true, then the Bucks completely let him down at that point. It's not as if they didn't have any idea about who Ford was, though, as he was actually their lottery pick that year.

Ford went on to recount his version of the narrative, as he hilariously shared how this has actually grown to be his ā€œthing.ā€

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ā€œSo, imagine the jersey. The jersey is the same length as the shorts! I still have the jersey,ā€ Ford went on to say. ā€œI may have to do a Throwback Thursday and actually wear it because I kept the whole thing 'cause I had to. Now, the cool thing about it is, that was so long ago. That was back in 2003. Every year, when these new guys come into the league, that picture keeps resurfacing and all these kids see it for the first time. Now, when I'm in the gym somewhere, Poz, that's my little thing where everybody's seen it. That's what they want to show me! It's cool, I enjoy it. I guess it's something in history, so I'll take it.ā€

As it turns out, it was all a case of bad luck for Ford. Unfortunately for him, the internet never forgets, and this is something that will be forever part of NBA folklore. Then again, he has become sort of a cult legend for this incident, and as Ford implied above, he's more than happy to take that.

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