So today I decided I should count down MY top 10 2012-13 jerseys. Only new ones, because it would be WAY too hard to do all of them. So without further delay, and no more ado, here they are.
10. New York Knicks
This year, the New York Knicks revamped their unifoms. When talking about a team with so much tradition, the Knicks essentially had no way of surviving a complete makeover. So, they just cleaned up their look. No more black trim, updated collars, unique details (messages printed on the inside), and a new logo by the back of the neck. Also, the big stripe on the belt of the shorts gives the uniforms some flair, but I think it would've been nice to have it match the trim on top, with a two-stripe pattern.
If there was ever a year for the Knicks to make a postseason run, this is it. The door is wide open for them. Is it the uni's..?
9. San Antonio Spurs' Gray Alternate
The combination of young and old has been working lately for the Spurs. Having Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and the recently injured Tim Duncan lead the team allows for young studs to gain experience and grow at their own rate. These new threads mesh the new and old perfectly. The big logo on the front is reminiscent of the early 90's, but the new SA on the shorts is new and fresh. The retro gray brings it all together while staying true to the color scheme.
Anybody feeling a playoff run for the Spurs? I'm not. They picked up quite a few W's last season, but I don't see them as a postseason threat.
8. Brooklyn Nets
The move to Brooklyn was big for the Nets. Under the near reckless leadership of Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z, the Nets took on a new, clean look this year. These jerseys would've been higher on the list, because I like the clean, smooth style. But no color is just a little too blah for me. Throw some of that old Nets red in there, and it'll be Top 3. I do feel that with the new move, this is going to be some sort of a baseplate for future versions.
Deron Williams and Joe Johnson need to take charge of the team in order to have any hopes of success in the future.
7. Houston Rockets' Red Alternate
I love these alternates. Although I'm not usually a fan of alternates that are the same color of an existing jersey, these work. They're almost like a throwback to the future (I like to call it a "throwfront"). The yellow just pops off of these crimson rags, the font and trim pull the look together. Not sure why these ended up in seventh, I really wish the Rockets wore them more. I would love to see the Steve Francis era navy uni's get retroed for the Hardwood Classic.
With the acquisition of James Harden and Jeremy Lin this offseason, it's only a matter of time until the Rockets start destroying teams. With Dwight Howard turning into a free agent this year, he could be looking at moving to Houston. I would if I were him.
When are they going to make James Harden's beard a part of the mandatory dress code? Still waiting, Houston.
6. Warriors SLEEVES
Hey sleeves! GO BACK TO THE NCAA! Nobody wants you here! You made me throw up as a part of Evansville's wardrobe and then over and over again under jerseys for the University of Texas. I get the whole "new-wave" thing, I just don't like it. If not for the sleeves, these jerseys would be numero uno. And those horrific shorts. Don't pinstripe the shorts unless the tops are too. It just looks tacky.
On a positive, the white logo and the font are PERFECT. The recently updated color scheme is still fresh and lively, the collars and trim are great. With a bit of fine tuning, these could be the best in the league.
Would still love to see some old Jason Richardson-era white-orange-navy threads for their throwbacks.
5. Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats. They've changed their uniforms over and over again since the organization started. Gotta have some sort of appeal, right? If their team can't be good, at least their uniforms can. They look just like Michael Jordan copy and pasted the Mavericks uniforms, but they're still pretty sweet. They have such a crisp color scheme, it's bound to look good. The orange trim is so nice next to the shades of blue. The white jerseys are sharp, but those dark ones are so clean and just... mesmerizing. I don't say this often at all, but well done, Charlotte.
I do expect a few more wins from Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson though. Come on.
4. 76ers Blue Alternate
I've missed these. Ever since Allen Iverson was rocking the blue alternates back in the day, I've wanted more. Those were my favorite jerseys of all time. They were just so perfect. They tried to recreate it, and did an okay job. Their plain look doesn't show off the blue that well but, it's still nice. Not much to go over here, it's a very clean-cut, classic uniform.
3. Trail Blazers Red Alternate
As a Lakers fan, I hate Portland. But these jerseys are just sick. Absolutely filthy. Imagine these with matching Adidas Crazy 8's on every Blazer. That alone makes me want to buy one. The updated diagonal stripes actually have the look of a trail now, and they followed the Knicks lead on the collar/trim. Nice to see they finally found a way to make their fonts and numbers look crisp, and the black on the red is just intimidating. I hope they get a full makeover that follows the lead of these bad boys.
2. Denver Nuggets Alternates
So close to being number one. So close! But, not every jersey can be number one. So, here we are. The Denver Nuggets alternate throwbacks. They look like the old rainbow skyline uniforms mixed with Marquette (Especially with the sides on those shorts). Very fun, retro look that is sure to have mixed opinions in the public. I heard they're only wearing these from 16 or so home games, unfortunately. They need to break them out more often.
By the way, props to the designer for finally making Javale McGee look like he's at home.
1. Clippers Blue Alternate
This one looks alot like the 76ers alternate above, but the Clippers definitely did a better job. So much more... "flair" if you will. Not that alot going on at once is always a good thing, these just look so good. The fonts the Clippers use now are so fantastic, I just can't get over these numbers. Doesn't the red number just explode off of the powder blue? I'd prefer these in powder blue to royal, because it reminds me of the San Diego Clippers. This uniform is so awesome. I love it. So much. I can't get over it.
Picture credit: http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/6/236/full/2531_los_angeles_clippers-alternate-2013.gif
