On Wednesday, the Washington Wizards teased us with the idea of a throwback uniform, paying homage to their teams from 1997-2011. Even the brief idea of rocking throwbacks had franchise player Bradley Beal apparently on board.
But we didn’t really have much more to go off, without seeing their actual rendition. Now we do.
The Wizards dropped their 2022-23 Classic Edition jerseys on Friday, and we’re impressed.
I find it fascinating that the Wizards’ colors are now entirely different, going with red and blue, but now they’ll go back to blue and gold for at least a few games next season. They’re not quite the same as what Gilbert Arenas rocked in his heyday in D.C., but they do a great job of capturing the era. It’s very well-done.
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What makes these Washington Wizards Classic Edition jerseys special?
Not only are these jerseys sweet, but they also represent an important time in the franchise. The 2022-23 season will celebrate the team’s 25th anniversary after changing the brand from the Washington Bullets to the Wizards in 1997.
From 1997 to 2011, when the original Wizards wore the uniforms these Classic Editions drew their inspiration from, they reached the postseason four times, going as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals under head coach Eddie Jordan.
Washington will also roll out an alternate court design when they wear the Classic Editions.
Arriving the year after the jersey design change, Bradley Beal never wore the early edition unis, so this will be the first time another one of Washington’s all-time greats gets to don the unique look, only with a modern twist. You can find the team’s official release here, including when the new merchandise will become available.
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This article was originally published on Sportsnaut.com and is republished here with permission.
