MADISON, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 11: Bruno Fernando of the Atlanta Hawks poses for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at the Ferguson Recreation Center in Madison, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
A brilliant refresh of the past represents a bold jump to the future for the Atlanta Hawks.
There was a time not so long ago when the Atlanta Hawks were the best team in the Eastern Conference. The 2014-15 season was Atlanta’s eighth consecutive in the playoffs, finishing with a franchise-best 60-22 record, including a perfect calendar month of 17-0 in January.
Just after that historic season, Atlanta introduced a complete uniform revamp. Out was the red, white and blue in favor of a stark new look. Volt coloring and a triangle pattern entered the picture in hopes of catapulting Atlanta’s look into the modern era.
That plan sorely backfired, however, as Atlanta’s jerseys never became fan favorites, the team lost its core four and fell off the deep end to a 20-47 record this season. Now, hoping to rekindle some of their vintage glory, Atlanta has taken a step back with their uniforms for the upcoming season and yes, they are a massive improvement.
Out are the silly bright colors and back are the warm tones that categorized Atlanta. The bold typeface and stripes are a new take on the classic look. Then comes the stunning black “Statement” jersey that immediately brings us back to the past but also presents something entirely new.
It may be the early excitement talking here, but are Atlanta’s new jerseys in the running for best in the NBA?
Atlanta is the latest to follow a growing trend of teams returning to their origins with a modern twist. We have seen it work to great success with teams like the Grizzlies and Clippers, both in style and in play on the court.
The jerseys are gorgeous, now it’s time to see if success will follow for Atlanta.
