The NBA “Should You Be Allowed to Wear Your Alternate Jersey?” Test

Every year, Nike and the NBA release the NBA “City Edition” uniforms and court designs to broaden the NBA’s brand.

Each year, there will be multiple circumstances where, from a bird’s-eye view at a sports bar, you will have no idea who is actually playing and likely be frustrated in some capacity at some point.

Each uniform is intended to embody some sort of moment of relatability to the locals of the city, but we get lost in the plot going away from the comfort of being a dumb sports fan and what we know because the team has to over-explain via a letterhead and press release video why the mere collar and the lining represent the 5th-most famous monument or person in the city. 

Credit: NBA-Twitter/X

However, rebranding can be good! New, fresh ideas to get eyes on the game are good! We’re not above the old and classic teams being able to go away from the two uniforms that they have worn for decades!

Therefore, we’re going to put these jerseys to a pass-or-fail test: “Should you be allowed to wear them?” from a viewership perspective. Here is the criteria to take into consideration:

• Can I recognize exactly what team is playing in your scheme?
• If you use alternate colors, are they better than the ones you’re currently using? If so, we may make an exception!
• Do you veer away from using dumb nicknames no one has ever used?
• If you’re a historically rich team with some of the best jerseys in all of sports, are the alternates worthy of being earned?
• Does it not make my eyes hurt when I see it?
• Did you actually try something new?

If you meet the criteria, you get to wear them!

If not, you should be banned from NBA League Pass viewership, and the fans should protest Fanatics!

Atlanta Hawks // FAIL

The Peachtree uniforms of Atlanta are getting a fail not because of the color scheme, but because they simply ran back the same idea and scheme again with a worse font, the name “PEACHTREE” instead of the script Atlanta, and the Hawks have simply tried too many rebrands over the last decade.

Boston Celtics // PASS

The curmudgeon historians will tell you that the Celtics‘ uniforms are not to be messed with, but white with some metallic gold in a design they already use is fine to have another option.

Brooklyn Nets // PASS

They did the same thing they’ve done previously, a Biggie Smalls coogi sweater homage, which I guess is fine when you have the most plain and unexciting branding in sports.

Charlotte Hornets // PASS

The rare exception where the Hornets already have one of the best brandings in the league in the teal and purple, these orange “hoopers’ paradise” alternates with a beautiful blue script, is also just awesome enough that even an entirely different scheme just rocks. Bravo on going 2/2, Charlotte!

Chicago Bulls // FAIL

It’s the Chicago flag again, but toned down as the cop out black alternate.

Cleveland Cavaliers // FAIL

I dare you to watch a Cavaliers game in these orange uniforms with this amount of bright orange on the court as well. It’s the cousin of staring into the sun.

Dallas Mavericks // PASS

It’s an acceptable black alternative with a much better font and wordmark for a franchise that has somehow struggled to make the scheme of white, blue, and navy work for years.

Denver Nuggets // PASS

The rainbow mountains are always going to pass.

Detroit Pistons // PASS

It needs more teal, but what a great homage back to the glory days of the ’90s and early 2000s ridiculous horsepower branding with a more timeless font.

Golden State Warriors // FAIL

So, it’s the color of a tree, for Oak-town, the city that the franchise left for wealthy San Francisco after they had also just lost the Raiders and the A’s?

Houston Rockets // PASS

And with flying colors (literally), as the moon man dunking in the middle of the court is about as awesome as it gets.

Indiana Pacers // PASS

A little bit of retro, a little bit of modern, and they literally look fast for a team called the Pacers.

Los Angeles Clippers // FAIL

Yes, it’s in honor of the Buffalo Braves, but the orange and blue that we have no idea who they are, with a massive LA in a font that we don’t know what we’re looking at for an old team that looks miserable, is certainly something to laugh at.

Los Angeles Lakers // FAIL

They’ve had better black alternates for a team that ultimately shouldn’t abandon the purple and gold, and the triangle wordmark here needed to be explained in a presser as to why it’s there.

Memphis Grizzlies // PASS

It fits the branding of what they’ve always done, but just honors soul music. No complaints here despite it being a little safe.

Miami Heat // PASS

Switch to Miami Vice permanently.

Milwaukee Bucks // FAIL

“Cream City” on the front. Enough said.

Minnesota Timberwolves // PASS

As absurd as it is, you can’t fail anything that is intended to honor Prince.

New Orleans Pelicans // FAIL

You already have an alternate color scheme that you should’ve adopted, and it was the mardi gras colors. The black and neon for the “New Orleans nightlife” isn’t what it really ought to be.

New York Knicks // PASS

It’s just a cream alternative to what they already do very well and honors the Mecca hardwood. Safe, but timeless.

Oklahoma City Thunder // PASS

It’s a darker version of the Native American heritage jerseys that were already fantastic. And everyone calls them OKC and not Oklahoma City, and they should use this branding more often than they do already.

Orlando Magic // PASS

A white sleek white version of the one we loved in the 90s. They understood the assignment.

Philadelphia 76ers // PASS

The font screams Americana, or Liberty, or Benjamin Franklin, which is precisely what should be the goal here if your mascot is about Americans gaining their independence.

Phoenix Suns // FAIL

Have you heard anyone casually refer to Phoenix as “The Valley”? And is that an 8-bit sunset?

Portland Trail Blazers // FAIL

You can’t wear these if your color scheme is red, black, and white, and you have this teal alternate in honor of the AIRPORT.

Sacramento Kings // FAIL

Because you should have one of the most iconic purple royalty color schemes with great branding, and you missed again with a boring font.

San Antonio Spurs // PASS

Fiesta colors forever, please.

Toronto Raptors // PASS

The more dunking dino, the better, even if this one is not the best.

Utah Jazz // FAIL

I don’t think you can do this the same year as the Utah Mammoth became a team, since they’re the same colors, because it looks like you’re honoring a team that has existed for merely months. And, there are no mountains.

Washington Wizards // FAIL

This era of the Wizards, you immediately think of the point guard who brought actual guns into the locker room.