/Charlotte Hornets Unveil Two New Uniforms

Charlotte Hornets Unveil Two New Uniforms

The Charlotte Hornets today unveiled their first two uniforms for the 2017-18 season, the white Association and teal Icon editions, in preparation for Nike becoming the NBA’s uniform partner.  Notably, each of the team’s uniforms will sport the logo of Nike’s Jordan Brand, the eponymous collection inspired by Hornets Chairman Michael Jordan, making the Hornets the only U.S. professional sports team with the iconic Jumpman logo on its uniforms.

 

“We are excited to reveal the first two of our new uniforms for next season,” said Hornets President & COO Fred Whitfield.  “The new uniforms are particularly special to us because they formally align our Hornets brand with that of our owner, Michael Jordan, bringing us added visibility around the world.”

 

Aesthetically, fans will notice few changes from the previous white and teal uniforms.  The stripes on both uniforms are slightly thinner, and the white uniform now has the secondary logo on the side of the shorts as opposed to the Crown CH logo previously.  The teal uniform now says “Hornets” on the chest of the jersey and “Charlotte” in the tone-on-tone lettering on the shorts, reversing the prior designs.

 

From a technological standpoint, the uniform is built on a refined version of the Nike Aeroswift basketball chassis.  Nike used research from 3D-body maps of players, including heat and sweat maps, to make significant changes to the weight, fit and construction of the uniforms, while also paying special attention to enabling agility.

 

The uniform is comprised of a combination of Alpha Yarns and recycled polyester, with each uniform representing approximately 20 recycled PET bottles.  The blend removes moisture more quickly than previous NBA uniforms, wicking sweat 30-percent faster than the current versions.

 

Coinciding with the introduction of the new uniforms, the NBA is eliminating its “Home” and “Road” uniform designations.  Beginning with the 2017-18 season, home teams will pick which uniform they will wear and visiting teams will choose a contrasting uniform within their own assortment.  Because of this change, Nike and the NBA worked together to create four core uniforms for each team, classified as “editions,” which draw from the rich heritage of the NBA and its franchises.

 

The Association Edition, the traditional home white uniform, links the 30 teams as members of the most exclusive basketball club in the world.  It represents an achievement that most athletes have worked their entire lives to reach.

 

The Icon Edition, previously known as the road uniform, represents the rich heritage and iconic identity that exists within each franchise.  This edition utilizes the team’s primary color, a color that dominates the closets of the most diehard fans.

 

The two remaining core uniforms, inspired by the mindset of the NBA athlete and the communities that support their teams through thick and thin, respectively, will be revealed in the coming months.