It is refreshing to see Naomi Osaka putting on for the culture!!!!
However, to give Naomi Osaka her flowers, she’s been doing that for a while now. Perhaps most notably, in the relatively recent past, there was Naomi’s black party.
Forward to the present – and Naomi Osaka is paying homage to NBA Legend, Allen Iverson.
The Maturation, Of Naomi Osaka.
Naomi Osaka has a voice that can be interpreted as meek. She is known for being an advocate of mental health and is of Japanese and Haitian heritage.
Notably she’s played Tennis, since early childhood. Currently, she’s a 28 year old mother.
Put differently, Naomi Osaka has been around Tennis her entire life. She’s lived a little but interestingly, Naomi seems to genuinely be enjoying the journey.
She recently mentioned in a press conference that Tennis, was her side hustle and that being a mother was her main job.
What does that speak to? Naomi Osaka’s ability to put life into perspective and value what really matters. Whilst categorizing Tennis (rightfully, as a sport that she may win or lose at).
Put a different way, Naomi is basically saying that being a mom is her main job and as long as she is winning at that. She can live with what happens on the Tennis court.
Naomi Osaka & Her Leaning Into Her Ability To Make Fashion Statements.
It is liberating to see Naomi Osaka, lean into her power. Naomi doing this, is an affirmation of who she is and her right to be here.
To go further, the fashion statements that Naomi Osaka is making, are literally fashion statements that only she can make. On one occasion, she may honor her Japanese heritage.
On another she may honor her Haitian, Black heritage, or something else of personal significance to her.
Without saying a word, Naomi is speaking a language of self love. She is exercising her right to define herself. Which is obviously liberating and therefore, refreshing, for the rest of us to see.
Through fashion, Naomi gets to use her creativity. She is exercising her power, like no other female tennis player has and connecting with people worldwide for it. In a way that will only add to her legacy.
She Is Owning Her Journey.
With the really cool part being, that all of this really is just her side hustle. The other really cool part is that this side hustle – that includes fashion statements – is relevant to the Trillion dollar (influential) fashion industry.
Which means that although Naomi Osaka is already amongst the top earners of female athletes in and outside of Tennis. She may well be opening up new avenues of financial opportunities for herself.
Additionally, it may be worth noting that Naomi Osaka is playing a game, that a younger Naomi Osaka, could only dream of.
Oftentimes, (perhaps all of the time) those are designer labels that Naomi is wearing. Those fashion statements are the type that only a woman, who is one of the top earners in her field, can make.
Which is one of the reasons all of this, is super cool.
Finally, Tennis has long been, a sport for the middle classes, the elite.
Naomi Osaka, celebrating herself and her heritage in front of the world. Is something that Allen Iverson would and has, approved of. As Naomi has correctly identified, this is what Allen Iverson did before her.
Tennis and every sport, should belong to the world and definitely those that play it best. In this way, Naomi is actually proving herself to be an exceptional ambassador, of the game of Tennis.
