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I’m Brave Enough to Say that the Sixers’ Black Jerseys are Overrated
By Sean Barnard
Published:
After teasing it for several years, the Philadelphia 76ers are bringing back their black jerseys. Most known for looking like a trash bag being draped on Allen Iverson during the 2001 NBA Finals run, and most recognized for the Iverson step-over, which occurred in the same threads, the organization will hope the jerseys inject some nostalgic feelings back into the fan base:
Officially, the jerseys were worn from 1997 to 2009 and were synonymous with the Iverson era. They’ll be introduced to the team’s uniform options as an alternate to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that Finals run. For what it’s worth, the NBA requires teams to wear their Icon Edition jerseys at least 10 times per season, but right now, there’s no outlook for when and what games the throwback jerseys will be used.
The jerseys are not good
I am willing to step to center stage and say what most are unwilling to say. These jerseys are objectively not good. Not only is black not even a color of the 76ers organization, but this is a simplistic design with bulky letters and little creativity.
If Iverson had never existed, no one would think twice about these uniforms. The 2000-01 NBA MVP could have worn anything on the floor and that uniform would be remembered in the same capacity. If Iverson walked out on the court in some threads from Goodwill, or wearing a straight up trash bag, you better believe there would have been Sixers fans following suit. This is much more of a compliment to the influence Iverson had than anything about the uniform itself:
We have now seen thousands of different uniforms designs across different professional sports teams and there comes a point where innovation is limited. But this feels a step back in fashion design with a font more fit for a Friends episode or Fresh Prince of Bel-Air introduction than anything that should be representing a sports team. There are plenty of cool ways the Sixers can model their jerseys and they have been successful with those. Variations such as the Boathouse Row edition or the Reading Terminal Market influence used for the 2023-24 season are better examples of leaning on the history of Philadelphia in a way that is unique to the city. But instead, get excited for a plain black jersey with Sixers written in plain letters on the front and a basketball underneath!
If we really want to lay out the takes here, I would even go as far as to say the blue jerseys of the same era were better than the black:
I respect the Sixers bringing them back anyway
With that said, I still fully understand the Sixers going back to the Iverson-era black jerseys. Perhaps more than ever the franchise feels a bit absolved of an identity. The Sixers are in limbo as they attempt to keep the championship window pried open for whatever Joel Embiid and Paul George have left in the tank while investing in the youthful core headlined by Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and VJ Edgecombe.
It’s difficult to put any sort of expectation on the season with health being the complete swing factor for how things will go. The Sixers have not provided much confidence with their guarded and non-committal answers surrounding Embiid’s outlook, as they stick to the expected script. Finding ways to add any sort of excitement is an organizational win.
However, life in the post-Embiid era looks more positive than one could ever imagine would be the case. It would be worst-case scenario if the Sixers star cannot return to some semblance of his former self, but Philadelphia hedged their bet in a way that few organizations could pull off, by tossing away last season and landing the third-overall pick. They now hold a young core headlined by the guard trio of Maxey, McCain, and Edgecombe with Quentin Grimes still set to be signed at some point before the season, too. At the minimum there will be a change in identity with more guys that can dribble, pass, AND shoot than has been the case for plenty of the Embiid era. It’s impossible to set any sort of expectation for team success, but this is a roster that will compete harder and have more of an identity than last year.
I personally am very much looking forward to each of these young guards lacing it up and taking the next steps in their NBA trajectory – even if it does have to happen in a crappy uniform.
Kinkead: I have this take that the Sixers black uniforms are basically kelly green for millennials and Gen X. There’s a nostalgia factor that brings you back to the only Finals run this team has had in 40 years now. But Sean is right – if they had gone on this crazy underdog run with Allen Iverson wearing fuschia and taupe, the fans would have an emotional connection to fuschia and taupe. To a certain extent, the customer is always right. If they want black, I guess you have to cave and give them black. But the fact of the matter is that the best era of Sixers basketball was played in the white and red that Dr. J and Moses Malone wore, plus the blue road jerseys of the 60s and 70s. Black is definitely a historic outlier, as much as fans of a certain age love it.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.