We had some spare time on our hands recently, so we decided to take a look at the best uniform every NBA franchise has ever hung in a locker. Without further ado, here are our choices for the best uniforms for every current NBA team in their history. Let the hot take’s begin!
Atlanta Hawks
The Wilk era Hawks unis were so sweet. Love the colored name plate going across the front and wrapping around back.
Home: 1982-1992
Away: 1982-1992
Boston Celtics
The Celtics haven’t changed their look much at all over the course of their historic franchise. The shamrock on the waistband and above the nameplate on the back are a nice touch to their current home jerseys.
Home: 2005-Present
Away: 1946-1972
I’ve always liked ‘BOSTON’ going across the front as opposed to ‘CELTICS.’
Brooklyn Nets
Not great, not awful…but the only option.
Home: 2012-Present
Away: 2012-Present
Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats have changed their look so many times over the course of their 10-year existence. The original home jerseys were the best of a bad litter, and the same can be said of pinstriped road jerseys.
Home: 2004-2008
Away: 2009-2012
Chicago Bulls
I actually kind of like the subtle changes that have been made to the current Bulls unis, but I’m going to go with the ’90s unis just because of who played in them and made the Bulls the most dominant franchise of the decade.
Home: 1992-2004
Away: 1973-1985
This was a hard choice considering I do like the Bulls current road look, but I also love the script going across the front.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs have had a bunch of different looks but these are the best in my mind. I love the ‘CAVS’ logo with the hoop incorporated.
Home: 1987-1994
Away: 1983-1987
Dallas Mavericks
Dallas’ previous unis were pretty generic and the baby blue & navy compliment each other pretty nicely.
Home: 2001-Present
Away: 2010-Present
Denver Nuggets
It takes a spectacular jersey to be able to pull off a rainbow color scheme but somehow these Nuggets unis made it work.
Home: 1985-1993
Away: 2012-Present (Alternate)
The yellow Denver alternates use the throwback design with a new-school color scheme to create one of the league’s best third jerseys. These should be their full-time road jerseys.
Detroit Pistons
The old-school Isaiah-Rodman era Detroit unis were dope but I had to go with the teal ’90s away jersey just because my Grant Hill jersey was my absolute favorite as a kid.
Home: 1985-1993
Away: 1995-2001
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors tried to replicate the style of ‘The City’ jerseys with their current look but just couldn’t pull it off as well as the original.
Home: 1966-1971
Away: 1984-1989
Houston Rockets
So bad they’re actually awesome.
Home: 1995-2003
Away: 1995-2003
Indiana Pacers
I really like the white going across the typeface on these ’80s home jerseys, but I had to go with the ABA throwbacks for the road jersey because they’re so clean and crisp.
Home: 1984-1990
Away: Alternate ABA Throwbacks
Side Note: These fan-designed mockups might be the best jerseys in the NBA if they were real.
Los Angeles Clippers
Though the changes they made were pretty subtle, the Clips managed to greatly improve their home jerseys a few years ago with a cleaner, more simplistic look. Give me the classic red roads over the new ones any day, though.
Home: 2010-Present
Away: 1988-89
Los Angeles Lakers
I’m not crazy about the slanted ‘LAKERS’ typeface on the front, but I think the white numbering looks a lot better than the purple that came in the Magic Johnson era.
Home: 1972-1978
Away: 1978-1999
I will take the Magic era roads though. So nice.
Memphis Grizzlies
These are a collector’s item nowadays.
Home: 1995-2000 (Vancouver)
Away: 1995-2000 (Vancouver)
Miami Heat
The present-day Heat have been wearing these throwbacks quite a bit as of late and it makes them just a little harder to hate.
Home: 1988-1999
Away: 1988-1999
Milwaukee Bucks
Very popular around Christmas time.
Home: 1973-1976
Away: 1973-1976
Minnesota Timberwolves
Maybe one of the nicest jersey combos in the history of the league. They never should have gotten rid of these.
Home: 1989-1996
Away: 1989-1996
New Orleans Pelicans
Awful, but the only option.
Home & Away: Present
New York Knicks
The Knicks have reverted back to this style and rightly so. These were great.
Home: 1992-1997
Away: 1992-1997
Oklahoma City Thunder
Once again, pretty crappy…but the only option.
Home: 2010-Present
Away: 2010-Present
But never forget…
Orlando Magic
I was pretty torn between these home unis (complete with sequence stars and all) and the white pinstriped ones, but since the black pinstriped unis are my road choice, I went with these ones. T-Mac was a god in the late ’90s/early 2000s.
Home: 1998-2003
Away: 1989-1994
These are crisp as hell.
Philadelphia 76ers
If you own one of these Allen Iverson jerseys, you’re going to get a lot of high-fives anywhere you go.
Home: 1994-1997
Away: 1994-1997
Phoenix Suns
Sunkist, baby.
Home: 1992-2000
Away: 1992-2000
Portland Trailblazers
The ‘Rip City’ jerseys are just so badass, I don’t understand why they’re not a full-time thing.
Home: 2009-Present (Rip City)
Away: 1985-1991
The red version of these also looked pretty dope.
Sacramento Kings
The cursive font is very royal and the crown over the ‘I’ is a nice touch. Bonus points for the awesome alternate logo on the shorts.
Home: 1990-1994
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Away: 1990-1994
San Antonio Spurs
I’ve never loved the Spurs uniforms (boring, like the team) but these are the best of the bunch.
Home: 1989-2002
Away: 1982-1989
Toronto Raptors
Nothing says ‘Raptors’ like a giant cartoon velociraptor on the front of a jersey. I really like the black nameplate too.
Home: 1995-1999
Away: 1999-2006
The dual-colored jersey worked surprisingly well.
Utah Jazz
Possibly my favorite uniform of all-time.
Home: 1984-1996
Away: 1984-1996
Washington Wizards
Huge upgrade from their previous unis & a nice homage to the Bullets.
Home & Away: 2011-Present
