Basketball uniforms have always appeared to be a sign of confidence, power and unity for the team. From red to greens, whites and blues, teams have experimented with some unusual color combinations and designs that have given both shivers and laughter to fans and players alike. You can find the same in basketball shoes with their many unique designs and styles. The history of the NBA includes some very interesting uniforms for sure. Here are some of the more colorful, strange and unusual uniforms.
1. Atlanta Hawks (1995-99)
Red black and yellow are signature colors in basketball but sometimes it’s not the colors but the designs and patterns that make it unusual. In Atlanta Hawks’ creation in 1995s, we experienced this. It wasn’t the tri-color combination but the hawk gripping a basketball in its talons which gave a silent and competitive message to its opponents. They say, there hasn’t been a better uniform in the Atlanta Hawks history than this one.
2. Toronto Raptors (1997-1999)
Inspired by Barney the dinosaur, this uniform of Toronto Raptors has been one of the weirdest in the history. Based on purple and trimmed with red, grey and black, the distracting part is the roaring raptor drooling over a basketball right in the centre.
3. Denver Nuggets
From the 80s and 90s, this is by far the most colorful jersey the NBA has ever come across. Blue in color, this jersey featured the rainbow city skyline as the centrepiece logo. This logo was the result of a fan-based competition that invited fans to design a logo for the nuggets. Why this logo? The fan designer had placed Tetris shaped Rocky Mountains behind rainbow lines, giving Denver’s skyline a new dimension. The Nuggets have used this rainbow skyline later on white as well, which looks comparatively subtle and accepted.
4. Dallas Mavericks (2011)
If this uniform was today, it might have gotten some acceptance. However, back in 2011, this Nike dry-fit shimmer jersey with a metallic touch was a bit too much for people to handle. Sadly these black metallic jerseys couldn’t last more than a game and were immediately retired.
5. Vancouver Grizzlies
Call it ugly, funny or unique, there have been mixed reviews for this uniform that was part of the Vancouver Grizzlies from 1995-2001. With teal as the base color, it has some weird design trim in red, brown, black and white color. The jersey adds more to the design by a cartoonish Grizzlies logo and a fierce bear with a basketball in its claws as the cherry on top.
6. Toronto Raptors (2011-12)
The Toronto Raptors have shown some crazy creativeness in uniform but in the year 2011, they got a bit too much with their innovative ideas. With inspiration from the military, their camouflage patterned uniform has not been much of confidence for the players or their fans. It appeared to blend with the background and give no distinction to the player’s look.
7. San Antonio Spurs (2013-present)
This Nike edition Spurs’ uniform is a tribute to the servicemen and servicewomen of U.S. Armed forces. The camouflage-patterned jersey and shorts, with a blend of spur logo on the left and the player’s number has had three editions to this design, ranging from white, black and grey. Although this is a very honourable act to show concern and respect, the design doesn’t stand out like other uniforms and still faces criticism.
8. Milwaukee Bucks (1995-99)
There are many refreshing and beautiful shades of green but wonder why the Bucks chose a strange and dry shade of green with a deer appearing on the left and a large font of Bucks in white and purple. This uniform has proved to be a lucky one for the team and while it is a weird combination, some definitely consider this design as one of the best for the bucks.
All these wild, colorful and unusual uniforms are just a way to be different from other teams. They can be fun to wear when your out at the local courts and having a great time. They may seem odd to us but hold winning memories and challenging stories within them, giving the players and their fans goose bumps whenever they see these jerseys.