Naomi Osaka explains the Allen Iverson influence that plays a role in her career

Tennis star Naomi Osaka discussed the influence that Allen Iverson has had on her career at the 2026 U.S. Open.

Osaka is one of the most fashion-forward stars in the world of tennis right now, breathing life into the sport's pregame routine with audacious outfits reminiscent of NBA players coming out of the tunnel.

Turns out, that is one of the biggest reasons behind Osaka's dressing style, openly giving the credit to the legendary Allen Iverson for influencing her career.

Naomi Osaka looks up to the trailblazer Allen Iverson

Osaka spoke to the media before her first-round match against Anastasia Zakharova, discussing the impact that Iverson has had on her career by being an athlete involved in fashion.

"For me, he is a trailblazer. He's someone I look up to because he has done a lot in fashion, whether it was on purpose or not… I also think the conversation around clothes in sports and expressing yourself through style; I feel like he is someone I look up to in that regard."

Osaka wore an Allen Iverson-inspired outfit to her pre-tournament press conference, wearing a white sweatshirt with Iverson's image and a throwback 1997 cap for an Iverson-esque fit in 2026.

Iverson is considered to be the figure who truly brought pop culture into the NBA.

Ever since Iverson's rise in the early 2000s, the NBA started setting fashion trends through their biggest superstars rather than just following the lead of the entertainment world.

Iverson made fashion and pop culture synonymous with the NBA, and now Osaka hopes to do the same in the world of tennis.

The much stricter WTA dress code might not allow Osaka the same freedom Iverson had to show off his style, but the 28-year-old American tennis star is maximising the opportunities when she can show off her style.