Close your eyes and start picturing NBA teams playing basketball. What is each team wearing?
Looking back at the history of the sport, we have seen some tremendous design efforts sported by every franchise in the league. While some are consistently better than others, we have seen some memorable and iconic jerseys on professional basketball courts.
Even though the main manufacturer of these looks have changed hands over the years with companies such as Nike and adidas and Reebok and Champion all stepping up to the plate, one thing remains clear: Basketball jerseys can, sometimes, rock.
A quick shout out to the websites basketballjerseyarchive.com and sportslogos.net as both were quite helpful during our research process.
Let’s roll through our best jerseys in alphabetical order.
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- The worst jersey every NFL team has ever worn
USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 1982 – 1992
KEY PLAYERS: Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers, Moses Malone, Spud Webb
These red, white, and yellow uniforms had a very straightforward design that almost looked like a box of Marlboro cigarettes. They debuted during Dominique Wilkins’ rookie season and then remained an aesthetic staple for Atlanta as he turned into The Human Highlight Reel.
Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Images
SEASON(S): 1972 – 1999
KEY PLAYERS: Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Cedric Maxwell
If you were to design a perfect jersey for the city of Boston, it would look exactly like the one that became popularized by Larry Bird. It is such an institution of the basketball world and of winning and its simplicity speaks for itself.
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2018 – 2019
KEY PLAYERS: D’Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris, Spencer Dinwiddie
These jerseys were so dangerously cool that they became the focus of a lawsuit from the clothing brand Coogi. While the Nets were no longer able to wear them for legal reasons, this nod to The Notorious B.I.G. was such a perfect blend of sports and pop culture.
USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 1989 – 1996
KEY PLAYERS: Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues, Dell Curry, Alonzo Mourning
Perhaps the easiest choice on this entire list was the teal, multi-colored pinstripes worn by the Hornets in the early 1990s. It was impossible to wear this color scheme without looking fresh and this was a pinnacle of a heyday for basketball branding and apparel.
Porter Binks-USA TODAY
SEASON(S): 1992 – 2004
KEY PLAYERS: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls revolutionized the sport of basketball and they did it while wearing these bold, iconic red uniforms. This is what Jordan wore when he hit his most memorable shot against the Jazz and he looked emphatically good while doing it, too.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2005 – 2010
KEY PLAYERS: LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Mo Williams
Although these were only alternate jerseys for the Cavaliers and not a primary home or road choice, it is arguably the best look that the franchise had during either LeBron James era. That oversized “C” in “Cleveland” is genuinely unforgettable.
Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2001 – 2010
KEY PLAYERS: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Steve Nash, Michael Finley
Shortly after Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks, he made this their primary road uniform and it became the definitive jersey of the Dirk Nowitzki era. It doesn’t try to do too much and thus can accomplish exactly what it set out to do.
Porter Binks-USA TODAY
SEASON(S): 1985 – 1993
KEY PLAYERS: Fat Lever, Alex English, Danny Schayes, Dikembe Mutombo
If you were playing Family Feud and the category was best basketball jersey of all-time, this is the No. 1 answer you would get. What is not to love about the rainbow skyline with a nod to the Rocky Mountains on a wonderful shade of blue? This is everything you could possibly want on an NBA jersey and encapsulated everything that went right with a golden era of design.
Porter Binks-USA TODAY
SEASON(S): 1996 – 2001
KEY PLAYERS: Grant Hill, Lindsey Hunter, Joe Dumars, Jerry Stackhouse
With all due respect to Isiah Thomas and the Bay Boy Pistons as well as the 2004 championship team, these are the best uniforms that Detroit has ever worn. It is hard for any iteration to beat these very delightful teal jerseys, especially when you add the fun illustrations of a flaming horse and exhaust pipes as defining features.
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2014 – 2017
KEY PLAYERS: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala
We can give a special shoutout to the “We Believe” era Warriors, of course, but this is a look that became associated with a modern age of basketball. It is so natural to imagine little kids across the world wearing a version of this jersey, practicing 3-pointers in their backyard while dreaming that they can become the next Stephen Curry.
© RVR Photos-Imagn Images
SEASON(S): 1976 – 1995
KEY PLAYERS: Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone, Otis Thorpe, Robert Reid
Does it look a bit like these players were high schoolers selected to the McDonald’s All-American Game? Sure! That is exactly why they are so awesome, though. Led by Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets were briefly one of the best teams in the world while rocking these classics then made a foolish decision to change their look.
Al Bello / Allsport
SEASON(S): 1990 – 1997
KEY PLAYERS: Reggie Miller, Dale Davis, Rik Smits, Detlef Schrempf
Designed by Olympian and star athlete Florence Griffith Joyner, the “Flo-Jo” jerseys have one of the coolest backstories in league history. It is also famously the uniform that Reggie Miller wore as he scored eight points in nine seconds, which cemented its place in basketball lore.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
SEASON(S): 2000 – 2010
KEY PLAYERS: Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Chris Kaman, Quentin Richardson
Even though it was hard to not pick something from the contemporary era of the Clippers, it was even more challenging to not choose these. The franchise has experimented with some very fun aesthetic choices in recent years (e.g. these Olympic tributes or these gorgeous city editions) but nothing beats the continuity of these unforgettable reds.
Alvin Chung/Allsport/Getty Images
SEASON(S): 1978 – 1999
KEY PLAYERS: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott
Perhaps the most ubiquitous jersey in sports history belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers. The fantastic blend of purple and gold is truly legendary and it is impossible to not picture the charming smile that Magic Johnson always wore as another part of these wildly popular uniforms. A go-to choice for attendees at a music festival and seen by fans in every city around the world, these are just royally divine.
© Vincent Laforet
SEASON(S): 1995 – 2000
KEY PLAYERS: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Bryant Reeves, Greg Anthony, Mike Bibby
While technically not a Memphis uniform because the franchise wore these back when they still played in Vancouver, these are undeniably among the most beautiful jerseys ever worn in an NBA arena and an integral part of the team identity. You can fall in love with the grizzly bear on these shorts, the silly claw marks on the team name, and an excellent shade of teal.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2018-19
KEY PLAYERS: Dwyane Wade, Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk
This nod to the TV show Miami Vice is the exact reason why City Edition uniforms were created. The Heat have tried a few variations of these and they’re all fire, but the shades of blue and pink on black that they wore during Dwyane Wade’s final NBA season needed a South Beach standing ovation.
© Jonathan Daniel
SEASON(S): 1995 – 1999
KEY PLAYERS: Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Vin Baker, Ervin Johnson
The Milwaukee Bucks taught us a valuable lesson about sports: It is OK and maybe even good if your jerseys are kind of funny. These jerseys should not work! Green and purple are not colors that go together, the depiction of the mascot is hilariously absurd, and the font choice is wild. Yet they’re permanently etched into your brain as fun and awesome anyway, right?
Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
SEASON(S): 1998 – 2008
KEY PLAYERS: Kevin Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith, Sam Cassell
Sure, it was very cool that the Timberwolves showed some love to a Minnesota legend when they honored Prince with their purple jerseys. But unless Anthony Edwards is able to lead this team to a title in the next few years, it won’t be easy for any jersey to top the alternate black jerseys with the green tree trim sported by Kevin Garnett in the early 2000s.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2018 – 2020
KEY PLAYERS: Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Julius Randle, Zion Williamson
This is a franchise that has sadly not quite settled on its permanent aesthetic, but some helpful unsolicited advice: It works when you lean into the fact that you are from a place as cool as New Orleans. These jerseys successfully achieved that Mardi Gras theme, using the right colors without going too over the top.
Stephen Dunn/Allsport/Getty Images
SEASON(S): 1992 – 1997
KEY PLAYERS: Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, John Starks, Anthony Mason
The Knicks, like the Celtics, have not deviated too far from their franchise origins. That is why they are at their best when they were at their roots, especially before they eventually moved to add an odd black trim to the sides of their jerseys. Just stick to the basics and these things will fly off the racks at the NBA Store!
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
SEASON(S): 2018 – 2019
KEY PLAYERS: Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, Dennis Schröder
As one of the newer franchises in the NBA, the Thunder don’t have the same history that many other teams have in their catalogue. But if you take a look at everything Oklahoma City has ever worn, these are the clear standouts and should probably get another run at some point soon.
JOHN MOTTERN/AFP via Getty Images
SEASON(S): 1994 – 1998
KEY PLAYERS: Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Horace Grant, Dennis Scott
If you’re selecting the best jerseys that the Magic have ever worn, the pick has to go to the ones that we saw on Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal. The star instead of the “A” in Orlando is an amazing choice, the pinstripes are suave, and that base is an electric shade of blue.
SCOTT OLSON/AFP via Getty Images
SEASON(S): 2000 – 2007
KEY PLAYERS: Allen Iverson, Eric Snow, Andre Iguodala, Aaron McKie
It was fairly obvious that this choice would come from something worn by Allen Iverson, who looked effortlessly cool and defined the fashion of an entire generation of basketball players and fans. These silky smooth black road uniforms lived up to the hype that he brought to his Philadelphia team, perfected by dotting a lower case “i” from “SIXERS” with a star.
© Imagn Images
SEASON(S): 1992 – 2000
KEY PLAYERS: Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Dan Majerle
The hardest choice here was to go with the purple version of these classics or the black alternate versions. But ultimately, the more regularly worn road choice was the pick that won out because it was a better represen