Every sport has a different kind of uniform in which players play. The uniform is selected on the basis of its comfort, so that the player can play easily and freely. If we talk about Basketball, it was invented as an indoor sport, so players during the early 1890s wore regular clothes while playing, which included baggy trousers and sweaters too. While Women used to wear long skirts and blouses. Some other sports enthusiasts wore tracksuits and football attire. When Basketball began to evolve with a new set of rules, it gained popularity and acceptance quickly. Sports clubs, Schools , colleges, and many other organizations started to organize tournaments.
Basketball uniforms in 1900-1930
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In 1901, the official catalogue of the A.G. Spalding and Brothers sporting goods store offered long, padded shorts and sleeveless versions of form-fitting jerseys with quarter-length sleeves. In 1903, specially designed basketball shoes with suction cups on the soles were launched by the company. These shoes were made to prevent slipping on the hard floor. In the years before World War I, the 1904 Summer Olympics played basketball as a demonstration sport, and several intercollegiate federations adopted Basketball as a part of their annual athletic competition. In this way, Basketball solidified its status and legitimacy.
After this, further attempts were made to differentiate between the teams so that there was no confusion among the players and officials. Dyed wool and cotton were used to make coloured knickers and shirts. The uniforms were decorated with letters and insignia to identify the teams.
In the 1920s, to meet the demands of a rapidly growing sport, basketball organizations became more functional. Long pants and sleeved shirts were replaced by mid-length shorts and sleeveless jerseys to give the players room and mobility. This jersey was tied under the crotch like a baby’s onesie to avoid coming open in the middle of a game. Women wore knee-length bloomers, which became shorter over time. This led to complaints that these uniforms were too ostentatious. As Bloomer’s height increased, the attendance at the games increased too.
Nylon replaced wool and cotton
Earlier, only Wool and cotton were used for the uniforms, but by the 1930s, when synthetic fibers such as nylon were invented, they revolutionized many industries. Originally, nylon was invented as a low-cost replacement for silk and was used in everything. Basketball uniforms were made of a nylon-polyester blend and appeared in the late 1930s. The uniforms were cheap, lightweight, flexible, and easy to wash.
Basketball uniforms in 1940-1950s
In the 1940s, uniforms of mixed synthetics included short shorts and sleeveless jerseys. The Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged in 1949 to form the National Basketball Association (NBA), which required more distinctive team uniforms. The Harlem Globetrotters wore bright and shiny uniforms, which served as a template for future basketball team jerseys.
The basketball teams have worn a number of uniforms since 1916, but they only began putting numbers on the jerseys in the 1950s. Shorts became even shorter with built-in belts. The players were teamed with plain white slouch socks and black-white Converse sneakers. While women wore short-sleeve jerseys with shorts.
The evolution from 1960-1990s
The style and fit of basketball uniforms didn’t change much from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Shorts were still kept short, and jerseys remained just as tight as during the previous decades. It was the 1970s when the designs and colour combinations of the jerseys became more creative and bold. Teams in the American Basketball Association wore uniforms with bright and bold patterns.
In the early mid-1980s, the livery was similar to the previous decade in style, but it featured a huge variety of colours and flashier team logos. The rise of college basketball Along with the rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics, the sport gained immense popularity worldwide. Star players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird became the face of the sport, and the NBA started selling jerseys, which is still the primary source of their revenue.
Michael Jordan changed his uniform twice
Michael Jordan changed his uniform twice in the 1980s. The first one was in 1984, when he wore a pair of black and red Nike sneakers, which the NBA banned him from wearing as they violated the uniformity rule of the league. In fact, Jordan was fined $5,000 for wearing the banned shoe in every game, which was paid by Nike. The NBA eventually changed its rule and gave players the freedom to choose the colour of their shoes.
In 1987, Jordan personally approached the sportswear manufacturer Champion to lengthen his Chicago Bulls shorts and make them baggier and longer than usual so that he would have something to hang onto when he went out of breath. His wish came true the following season, and the NBA’s image went the other way. By the 1990s, uniforms had become looser but also saw a change in fabric, switching away from nylon and mesh. Everyone started wearing extra-long shorts in basketball, but Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton was the only player to never wear long and baggy shorts during his 19 seasons in the NBA, which also gave him the nickname “King of Short Shorts”.
From the 2000s to Now
From 2000 to the present, the original 1990s styles have been retained. Currently, the NBA has the best jerseys in the world of sports. Nike uniforms are designed keeping in mind the position the athlete plays and even their body type. During the design process, digital body scans are also taken of players to see which body parts sweat the most. With this data, designers decide on the placement of air vents and arm holes. The current lightweight uniforms have come a long way from the woolen uniforms that were used in the early basketball games.
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