Golden State Warriors: ‘The Town’ jersey is league’s best
By Marc Princi
Nike’s recent takeover as the official kit supplier of the NBA has led to great amount of change. One of those changes is the new “Statement Edition” jerseys. All 30 teams have one, but the Golden State Warriors’ “The Town” jerseys are the best.
Nike has already made its mark on the league as the new kit supplier for the NBA. The company has brought sweeping change to the NBA’s on-court appearance, and has been met with great fanfare.
One of those changes is the new “Statement Edition” jersey. All 30 teams in the NBA have a Statement Edition jersey, and as the season has progressed, we’ve started to see them on court.
The Golden State Warriors debuted their “The Town” jerseys on Nov. 25 at home against the New Orleans Pelicans. The team will wear these jerseys on numerous occasions throughout the season.
Complementing the jersey is “The Town” court design at the Oracle Arena, which differs from their standard court design. Both the jersey and the court are absolutely gorgeous. The Statement Edition jerseys are pretty nice league-wide, but the Warriors undoubtedly have the best.
The jersey
“The Town” jersey is a predominantly slate/charcoal-colored jersey, with a yellow and white collar/side stripes. The yellow Nike logo, and the black and yellow Rakuten logo also feature. “The Town” is emblazoned across the front of the jersey, in reference to the City of Oakland – the Dubs’ base.
The best part of the jersey, however, is in the center at the front of the jersey. Here you’ll find one of the most beautiful logos in sports. Four white lines surround the famous Oakland Oak Tree, positioned above the front jersey number.
What’s interesting about the logo is that the Oak Tree appears to be stylized in the form of a basketball. However, this logo is indistinguishable from the logo of the City of Oakland. Whether or not the logo was chosen because of its similarity to a basketball is unknown, but the image is simply stunning either way.
The court
Let’s take a brief moment to talk about the Warriors’ outstanding matching court design. Take the image of the black and white Oak Tree logo with the number and place that at center court of Oracle Arena. Then hange the black and white to blue and yellow, and switch the number for “Warriors.”
That’s what the Warriors got to play on Saturday night. It matches the jerseys perfectly, but uses the blue and yellow combination to remind everyone that it’s Warriors’ ground. It’s a court design fit for the reigning kings of the NBA.
The meaning
Now put aside the glamour of the jerseys and the court design and focus on the meaning behind “The Town” theme, because that’s what makes this design so superior. The Town signifies the long-overdue recognition that the people and City of Oakland deserve for supporting their team all these years.
These fans have seen far more downs than ups over the past few decades, yet Oracle Arena has still always been one of the loudest. Oakland never got the recognition it deserved, as it remained stuck in the shadows of “The City,” San Francisco.
In less than two seasons, the Warriors will leave The Town behind for The City. Oakland is also losing its football team to Las Vegas. The Warriors though, have given Oakland a parting gift. “The Town” theme represents Oakland and all it has done for the Warriors. The Dubs have paid Oakland back, with the best Statement Edition jersey in the NBA.
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The Dubs will always be the Bay Area’s team, and Oakland will always be a part of that. The Town jerseys, as well as The City jerseys, should always be a fixture of Golden State’s wardrobe.