Old School, New School, Too Cool for School

"I call this play the Hickory Dickory No-Shot-Clock."

Designing sports uniforms is a finesse game more akin to a feathery jumper from Jimmy Chitwood than a bruising tackle by Rudy Ruettiger. The ingredients are straightforward. We’d like to see the name of the team somewhere. And a number, also, to appease the referees and Cousin Joey in the cheap seats, is also standard.  And whatever beast of the eastern wild, be it mythical cartoon puma, jaguar, or wildcat, represents your team may also find it's place. (Scientists report ninety percent 

"I'm wild on the inside, baby."

of all team names come from the genus mascotus wildcatus.)

A player name, maybe? A post-game jersey emblazoned with any other name would no doubt smell as rancid. But since Joey learned to read last year, he does appreciate seeing the family moniker above those identifying digits. Beyond that, maybe a stripe here, some stars there. 

"This racing stripe here is pretty sharp."

But much like the culinary holy trinity of onions, garlic and olive oil, it’s all about the how. How you go about putting together a simple group of ingredients. The fashion-forward-thinking brain trust here at TSP HQ likes to stay ahead of the hot new thing in custom basketball uniforms. Sometimes, though, the hot new thing is...wait for it...

...the old thing.

From pro looks to youth basketball uniforms, we're predicting a return to the clean lines and artful minimalism of year's past on the hardwood this winter. Here are a few old school looks we've the seen the pro's sporting recently, and not so recently, that we've enjoyed. 

"Lorde don't know nothing 'bout Boogie."

This past season the Sacramento Kings threw it all the way back to the franchise's days in Cincinnati when they were known as the Royals.  Now we're not saying this epic journey in the Way Back Machine was inspired by the current Kings' inability to put something remotely resembling a professional team on the floor, but we're also not not saying it. Still, it's a solid look that proves, despite what Lorde told us, even Boogie Cousins can be royal with proper threads. 

Oh the halcyon days of Charlotte Hornets Basketball, when Grand Ma Ma, 'Zo, and Muggsy roamed the hardwood together. Long before the Spurs and Thunder were proving the marketability of small market teams in a global league, the scrappy Charlotte Hornets squads of the early '90s captured the country's heart in this gorgeous teal and wide pin-stripes look.

"Brought to you by the NBA's Size Diversity Initiative"

"All movie stars secretly want to be Pro Athletes."

 While the critics may place Will Ferrell's 2008 pro-basketball flick Semi Pro squarely in the ABA echelon of his career, the combination of Maura Tierney, Andre 3000, and these uniforms is more than enough for us. Fictional team? Yes. Fictional players? Also yes. Fictional uniforms? Not so fast.
These sleek threads were inspired by the real life Atlanta Hawks uniforms of the 1970's. This is one look we would definitely like to see more of. 

In Philadelphia we have special love

"Pro Athletes dream of being Pro Athletes. Semi Pro sucked."

for Julius "Dr. J" Erving. He brought the team it's last championship in the '82-'83 season. Some people 
consider him the best to ever play game. Here we see the good doctor before his days with the Sixers, rep'ing this funky yet patriotic look for the ABA's New York Nets.

Speaking of our hometown Sixers, they'll be debuting some new threads at the Wells Fargo Center this October. Check out these alternate home whites featuring none other than the O.G. O.G., Mr. Benjamin Franklin.  

"Poor Richard's Almanac says it's another good year for tanking."

Hey, what good are the arts if not for making people who can't compete athletically feel better about themselves?  Just kidding. With a little luck we're still holding out hope for a Sixers playoff push this year. 

But either way, remember Team Sports Planet predicts more new school approaches to old school styles this upcoming season. Look out for us on the court.