The GQ Tumblr

Happy Birthday, Hov

Mark Anthony Green talks to the Nets’ co-owner on the five coolest things about his new franchise:

1. The jerseys: “All-black everything! And the lettering—the typography reminds you of the old subway. It’s classic.”
2. The court: “It’s herringbone, which is crazy. In fact, the NBA fought me on it. They said if it gets shot on TV, the lines will mess up the screen. I’m like, this ain’t 1988—we’ve got HD. We ended up taking it to the old arena in New Jersey to test it.”
3. Barclays Center: “It’s beautiful, amazing, really well-done. It’s just classy. It’s still an arena, so there’s only so much you can do. But for an arena, it’s actually really beautiful.”
4. Brooklyn: “Well, Brooklyn is cool; that’s like the definition. There’s nothing on earth cooler than Brooklyn.”
5. Jay-Z: “Me? Ha, I am Brooklyn.”

You guys, Deron Williams saw a UFO during Hurricane Sandy.

The Man They Call Hov

As Jay Z returns to Brooklyn with a new arena and a new team, revisit our profile of the 2011 GQ Man of the Year.