NBA Cloth Talk: A closer look at the NBA’s ‘Classic Edition’ uniforms for the 75th anniversary season
Welcome to Cloth Talk! An ode to the phrase coined by DJ Khaled, NBA.com’s Gilbert McGregor and Kyle Irving delve into all things style in the NBA. From uniform reveals to sneaker choices and everything in between, the two experts give their takes and provide clarity on concepts that are impossible to ignore.
In the latest edition, the two discuss the three new “Classic Edition” jerseys, unveiled for the NBA’s 75th anniversary season.
Gilbert McGregor (@GMcGregor21): It’s the offseason, but the cloth talk doesn’t stop, my guy.
Honestly, the 2021-22 season will be here before we know it, and it’s a very special season, as it is the NBA’s 75th anniversary season. On draft night, the league announced that “Nike will celebrate NBA 75 with diamond-embellished jersey details and new Classic Edition and City Edition uniforms across the league.”
Well, we’ve got our first look at the new Classic Edition uniforms for this season.
Designed exclusively for the league’s three original franchises – the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks – these take it back a few decades (we still gotta get you to see “Back to the Future,” by the way) and are the first uniforms to feature the retro Nike Sportswear lockup logo, as pointed out by Boardroom on Twitter.
You feeling these, or what?
Kyle Irving (@KyleIrv_): It’s an emphatic yes from me. This wasn’t a situation where I was like, “eh, they’re alright but they’ll grow on me,” and now that they’ve been out for a week, I’m in on them.
I’ve been in on them since the second I saw them. The current play on retro jerseys is a cool concept as a whole, but there’s something about that retro Nike logo that really pulls the theme together.
The New York Knicks’ ones are a little plain, but plain can be good. The Warriors ones really have that retro vibe to them. The Celtics ones… ** clears throat ** THE SHORTS. Must cop. I’ll leave it at that. What say you?
McGregor: It’s funny, like Nike didn’t even exist back when these uniforms were introduced, but something about the retro Swoosh makes it feel like it was supposed to have been there all along.
A+ execution in my eyes.
I’m with you on the Knicks, they’re plain, but they’re exactly what they need to be. Fitting, because the Knicks went with a similar “Fauxback” look when the league celebrated its 50th season 25 years ago, so it was only right that they did it.
For the C’s, I think the execution was pretty good, considering I believe the uniforms they’re based on actually had sleeves. Maybe that’s why something seems a little disproportionate, but again, that’s me nitpicking.
I actually think the Warriors are my favourite of the bunch. They had to make a slight adjustment, as the original uniforms read “PHILA” for their time as the Philadelphia Warriors, but the incorporation of the blue, red and yellow really make it feel like a black and white photo just came to life for me.
The rollout on social media was pretty awesome, too.
Irving: Haha, man. Here we go with more Back to the Future references. I get it, I need to catch up on my pop culture.
No, but really, the rollout was perfect there. The Chuck Taylors coming out of the car. Those viral pictures of Klay Thompson are too good. Side note: I cannot wait to see him back on the court next year.
But all-in-all, I’m a big fan of what Nike did with these. Probably a bigger fan than most.
McGregor: Lol, see, I left that one up to be interpreted.
Figured after mentioning it once (twice if you count the first time I mentioned it in a prior “Cloth Talk”), you’d see the vision haha.
That makes two of us as big fans, though. Overall simple designs kept them from doing too much, which I think is the best way to celebrate such an occasion. I also wanna point out the waistband of the shorts, not sure if you noticed the gaps in colour and/or fabric, but I think it’s a super cool nod to mimic when basketball shorts once had belt loops
Also… it’s wild that basketball shorts used to need belts.
Irving: Wow, that’s a great eye on your part. I definitely noticed it (especially on the Celtics’ shorts, because, how could you not?), but I didn’t know there was a significance behind that. Just another intricate detail of these uniforms that makes me like them even more.
It makes me wonder what else Nike has in store for the NBA’s 75th anniversary season. We saw some teams bring back some dope throwbacks last year, but I feel like there has to be something big in store for this milestone year.
McGregor: You stole the thought out of my brain.
Basing it off of the NBA’s statement that new City Edition uniforms will be debuted across the league, I’m bracing myself for what’s to come. Before we wrap here, is there anything specific you’d want to see in this new set of City uniforms? Could be from any team.
Irving:
Nike always does a fantastic job of paying tribute to the little things that make each NBA city unique through the City Edition uniforms, so I trust that they’ll continue to do so even with new uniforms debuted across the league
On the 75th anniversary front, one thing I would like to see is some retro warmups for every team across the board. I have the Larry Bird 1988 3-point Contest shooting shirt in mind when I say that.
Nameplates on the back and all. I think that would be a cool tribute to honouring the 75th season to go along with some retro jerseys that I’m expecting.
McGregor: That’s not where I was expecting you to go with that, at all.
But I love it.
You made me think up an honourable mention of the Pistons adopting throwback elements to their warm-ups with the first name on the chest, kinda like a mechanic, honestly.
Fitting for the Motor City, where warmups with “Cade” across the chest might be a popular item among the next generation of hoopers.
But my actual choice would be for the Pelicans to incorporate branding from the Hornets’ days. I know the nickname is back in Charlotte, but 11 years of New Orleans Hornets history remains with that franchise.
Maybe it’s just me, but seeing Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas (still feels weird to type) in the teal, purple and gold would be awesome. Or maybe they just incorporate pinstripes, but they gotta do something.
Whatever it is… I’m all in. And I can’t wait to hop back on here and talk through our favourite City Edition uniforms for the 2021-22 campaign.
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