This year’s Portland Trail Blazers City Edition jerseys will “Keep Portland Plaid” by commemorating two franchise icons: former coach Jack “Dr. Jack” Ramsay and broadcaster Bill Schonely, who originally coined the term “Rip City.”
Ramsay was famous for rocking plaid attire on the sidelines while he led the franchise to its only NBA Championship in 1977, so a plaid “Rip City” design is fitting:
Portland Trailblazers 2023 City Edition Jersey pic.twitter.com/UakylkEpWf
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) October 23, 2023
Per the Trail Blazers website, the jersey “pays homage to a World Championship NBA Coach, Naismith Hall-of-Famer, brilliant basketball aficionado and 70’s-chic fashionista. Coach Jack Ramsay, or “Dr. Jack” as we affectionately knew him here in Portland, confidently captained the sidelines while blending his innovative basketball IQ with his equally trendsetting plaid-patterned fashions as he led the Trail Blazers to their 1977 NBA Championship.”
KEEP. PORTLAND. PLAID.
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 2, 2023
🔗 https://t.co/Kzwj59aDk1 pic.twitter.com/HYQ4CMoclS
When will the Blazers be wearing their City Edition uniforms?
Rip City will don its 2023-24 City Edition garb for the first time on Friday, Nov. 17, when it plays the Los Angeles Lakers.
The rest of the City Edition schedule is as follows:
- Wednesday, Nov. 22 vs. Utah Jazz
- Thursday, Dec. 14 vs. Utah Jazz
- Sunday, Dec. 17 vs. Golden State Warriors
- Thursday, Dec. 21 vs. Washington Wizards
- Friday, Dec. 29 vs. San Antonio Spurs
The Athletic (subscription required) ranked the 2023-24 Blazers City Edition jerseys 8th out of 30 NBA teams. The Phoenix Suns grabbed the No. 1 spot.