JALEN GREEN IS FAMILIAR with the spotlight Maybe not half-naked on a Calvin Klein set, but in the spotlight, aware that the world is watching. “Being on set with such a talented creative team really brought out a new side of me,” he says. “Everyone showed me so much respect and made me feel comfortable, which let me focus on just being myself in front of the camera.”

The leap from the basketball court to the photographer’s studio might seem like a big one, but according to Green it’s not been a mutually exclusive ambition. “It’s always been a dream of mine to work with Calvin Klein,” Green tells Esquire Australia. “Their underwear and jeans have always been staples in my wardrobe, helping me stay comfortable and put-together between practices, games and my down time.”

Where previous campaigns have tended to put their talent on pedestals – billboard idols with abs of iron (Jeremy Allen White, you will always be famous) what makes Green’s so arresting is that it doesn’t try to reinvent him. Shot by Gordon von Steiner, it captures Green in his natural state. Relaxed, self-assured, and quietly competitive.

That idea of ease runs through the collection itself. Modernised 90s denim, seamless underwear, and the kind of layering that looks considered without trying too hard. It’s the aesthetic Calvin Klein built its empire on, one that matches Green’s rhythm both on and off the court.

Off the hardwood, Green has carved out his own lane. His “tunnel fits”, the walk-in looks that have turned NBA arrivals into fashion moments, are never contrived. “For me, my tunnel fits are just about how I feel that day,” he says. “I don’t really follow a formula. Sometimes I’ll go simple and clean, other times I’ll go bold. The tunnel is like my runway.”

Now starting his first season with the Phoenix Suns, Green sounds grounded, sharper, ready. “The move to Phoenix has been great so far,” he says. “Arizona feels like a fresh start, and I’m excited to lock in, compete, and give everything to this team.” He’s after an All-Star appearance, sure, but mostly, he wants to win, the kind of ambition that Calvin Klein loves to bottle and sell.

Green remembers seeing Justin Bieber’s CK campaign as a kid. A pop culture moment that made him realise just how big the brand was. Years later, he’s part of that same legacy. “Stepping into that was an honour,” he says. “It felt like I was part of something iconic.”

That’s the thing about Calvin Klein: it doesn’t chase trends. It finds people who already know who they are and lets the clothes do the rest. Green gets that. He’s not trying to reinvent the image. He’s just updating it with a little more ink, a little more swagger, and a lot more game.

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