Portland Trail Blazers: Three retro NBA Jerseys to bring back

NBA franchises have been recycling former jerseys in recent years. Which look should the Portland Trail Blazers bring back next?

In a tough season filled with ups and downs, there’s one inarguable fact about how the Portland Trail Blazers played basketball in the 2019-2020 season.

They looked good doing it.

Sure, Portland’s iso dominant, injury-riddled season did not always spawn the best looking ball, but their jerseys were arguably some of the finest in the league.

Whether sporting their crisp, classic home whites, the smooth, cream-colored City Edition kits, or their Championship season vertical reds, the Blazers continued a history of high-quality uniforms.

While all of this is coming from a hometown fan, Sports Illustrated even ranked one of Portland’s uniforms as the fifth greatest in league history while deeming the Blazers the team with the overall best jerseys throughout the years.

With the upcoming season’s start date TBD, it is unknown when the team will unveil their new uniforms. In the meantime, here are three former looks the Blazers should consider bringing back.

Original Reds

Last year, the team honored their fiftieth anniversary with their vertical reds original worn in the mid-seventies. While this is certainly one of Portland’s finest looks, it’s not the first time these jerseys have returned, with the team wearing them for their fortieth anniversary during the 2009-2010 season.

One look the team has yet to bring back is their original away kits. Featuring a simple “Portland” across the front and the player’s number below the chest, these would be perfect for an era of logos and design that seem to be embracing a minimalist style.

Worn by the likes of Geoff Petrie and a young Bill Walton, the bold reds would certainly be a fashionable way to remember a bygone era.

Blazin’ in Black

The now-iconic, diagonal “blaze,” jersey stripes were first introduced in 1977 following the team’s Championship run. While this new design worked well in the red and white, some of my personal favorite images of the era include players like Clyde Drexler, Jerome Kersey, and Terry Porter donning the black color scheme.

Featuring a dark background, the red and white stripes easily pop across the front of the kit, while the late 70s edition of the Blazer pinwheel is perfectly highlighted on the right leg of the unforgettable short-shorts era.

Used in their 1990 appearance in the NBA Finals, these away kits were a part of the most consistently successful period in Blazer history. They would surely receive a warm welcome upon return.

ALL CAPS

Less beloved than some of Portland’s other former uniforms, the capitalized “BLAZERS” jerseys should not be overlooked.

Transitioning from the lowercase, disco-Esque lettering, the mid-nineties brought forth the first edition of the modern kits worn by the team today. Introduced with much baggier, down-to-the-knee shorts, these kits fit perfectly on someone like Arvydas Sabonis while making Damon Stoudamire look like the freshmen forced to sport the XXL jersey no one wanted. Still, something is endearing about this design.

Personally, the editions that followed felt too messy and crowded for years to come. While their current kits are some of the sharpest we’ve ever seen, it would be a joy to see this look make a single season comeback.