Tracy McGrady wearing the originally designed Raptors jersey.
At long last, basketball season is upon us. The 82-game gauntlet of team triumphs and individual heroics begins Tuesday, and there’s no better way to celebrate than embracing the league’s newest tradition this Monday: the 6th Annual NBA Jersey Day.
It’s essentially an early Halloween for NBA fans with an added social media dynamic. Your excuse to post a picture in your favorite jersey, tag your favorite team, and with a little luck, maybe see yourself on their story.
So, while we all cross our fingers and search for our gameday best, let’s remember a few of our favorite looks throughout the years.
Denver Rainbow Skyline
Five years after the NBA/ABA merger, the Denver Nuggets were looking to revamp their identity. They could have called a firm or found a big-name designer. Instead, team president Carl Scheer ran a contest.
During a 1981 regular season game, the Nuggets let the fans know that they were accepting jersey designs, and the winner of the contest would be given free season tickets. The front office was debating between a couple of submissions, when the final drop box arrived with Kerry Bowers’ rainbow skyline jerseys sitting at the bottom. The contest ended right there.
MPLS Lakers Jerseys
The early 2000s were an amazing time to be a Lakers fan. LA had the best duo in basketball, a hall of fame coach patrolling the sidelines, and enough marquee moments to cover a coffee table in photo books. Right in the middle of that golden age the franchise reached into their storied history books and revived a vintage uniform that felt like a soft sunrise.
The MPLS jerseys were bonafide classics that popped as soon as Kobe and Shaq came out of the locker room. We’ll say it again: the early 2000s were an amazing time to be a Lakers fan.
Pistons Teal Jerseys
Rebrands are always delicate endeavors.
In 1996, the Pistons were ready to step into the turn of the century with a fresh new look. A modern twist on the classics they had rocked for well over a decade, and the reaction was… divided. The new logo was a lot to digest, and the switch from blue to teal might’ve been a bridge too far.
Within six years the uniform would be officially shelved.
For a while they seemed relegated to the margins of sports history, until Detroit brought them back as an alternate to much warmer reception. Maybe we’re a little biased, but we’ve always liked the teal.
Raptors Original Jerseys
Toronto was awarded an NBA franchise in 1993, and after waiting decades for a chance to represent the league, they wanted to build a brand that was internationally recognizable. In order to do that they keyed in on one source of modern inspiration: Jurassic Park.
The team set out to capture the imaginative joy fueling a rejuvenated appreciation for dinosaurs with bold colors, a creative logo, and some classic pinstripes. In the end, they crafted a bright and exciting cultural artifact whose influence still lives on today. Mission accomplished.
Vancouver Grizzlies Jerseys
As soon as Vancouver found out they were getting an NBA franchise, the team owner, Arthur Griffiths Jr., had the name Grizzlies picked out. He wanted the team to reflect the local identity, and especially the traditions of the Haida, the indigenous community nearby.
With that in mind, the designers went to speak with the leaders in the Haida community where they were instructed on symbols, markings, and even colors that could be used to accurately reflect the identity of the land. A striking look with local significance and cultural importance. It doesn’t get better than that.
Timberwolves Prince Jerseys
When famed singer and musical innovator Prince passed away his legacy rippled throughout the world, and maybe the place that felt the loss the most, was the state where it all began.
After watching The Land of 10,000 Lakes mourn, the Timberwolves got to work designing a tribute jersey, and by the time they were done they’d have a one-of-a-kind uniform that melded the icons’ overwhelming style with the team’s longstanding identity. Admittedly starting with source material as cool as a Prince album is kind of cheating, but still, execution like that deserves respect.
We Believe Warriors Jerseys
Designing a uniform striking enough to earn the approval of an area as artistically rich as the Bay Area is no small feat, but in 1997, the Warriors set out to do just that.
They kept it simple and cohesive. A deep blue, a luxurious orange, and team branding that fit the era to a tee. The fans took to the adjustments immediately, then the “We Believe” Warriors made them undeniably iconic. Over ten years later Golden State would bring them back for the final game in Oracle Arena, cementing them as an essential piece of Warriors lore.
76ers Blue Alternates
There weren’t many teams’ cooler than the 76ers in the early 2000s, in large part because they had Allen Iverson. ‘The Answer’ was must-see TV no matter what he wore. That said, he was one percent cooler in the blue alternates.
Something about the luxurious sheen behind the script logo made Iverson’s already electric playstyle even more captivating. Hesitations that slowed time down and crossovers that sped it up, all accented by a glossy blue motion blur. An image made for camera flashes, and the perfect cape for basketball’s favorite undersized gladiator.
