Our second episode was recored in the wake of one of the more anticipated drops in the past few years of NBA jersey life: The City Editions. This year a "mixtape" theme was used by many of the ball clubs, taking elements from different eras of their history. Some clubs hit it out of the park, some were just solid, some didn't understand the assignment, some are just straight trash. Dumpster fires. Horrific. You'll know when we get there.
Find Episode 2 on Spotify, YouTube (video below) etc if you want to hear our more in depth thoughts, but the jersey images/videos are below and a comment here in this article so you can get a brief on how our thoughts ran, from best to worst. You'll hear on podcast that we didn't always agree with each other, but it's a good chat!
Using a Magic 8-Ball app live on the pod, Shea was bestowed the first pick in the draft...
With the NUMBER ONE pick in the draft, the Shea selects... The Atlanta Hawks!
As you'll discover on pod, this would have been both of our choice. Out and out the best in our opinion, it perfectly blends elements from a multitude of eras to create an incredible kit. Get around it.
Pick #2 - David - The San Antonio Spurs
David goes against his usual aversion to white-dominant kits as the Spurs have just done a great job here. The subtle Fiesta colouring in the numbering and piping along with the more modern Spurs typeset on the jersey. It's clean and it's brilliant.
Pick #3 - Shea - Philadelphia 76ers
There's a lot to love about this kit. The old school type set. The multi colours on the sides striking against the dark blue of the kit. Brotherly love on the tag. The love for Spectrum. It's a great kit. Pity Ben Simmons will never wear it, but this Sixers team is still quality and will look great on court.
Pick #4 - David - Chicago Bulls
David loves old school looks, and a team that has stayed true to style for a long time brings one of the simplest yet most effective of all the kits to the table. Classic script on a bold all red kit, subtle details in the shorts giving love to different eras of Bulls kits, the Chicago flag nod on the shorts - this thing kills it.
Pick #5 - Shea - Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte is one of the coolest, if imperfect, teams in the league right now with the electrifying play of LaMelo leading a host of young stars with a mix of vets alongside, and they hit this one nicely with touches to so many huge, as well as subtle, parts of their history.
Pick #6 - David - Sacramento Kings
There's just something about Sacramento David likes - he doesn't know why, he just does. But these kits are pretty cool, with the dominant black accentuated perfectly with the purple and white elements. The old school typeset nodding to the Rochester Royals, as well as the logo elements on the shorts, completes a real nice kit for this team trying to break an almost record playoff drought.
Pick #7 - Shea - Portland Trailblazers
Our Portland Trailblazers have gone with some bold swings over the past few years with some jersey choices, this one no different - but it works. The nod to the great Jack Ramsey with the plaid, the number lean, the famous Rip City appearing once again, the old school Portland on the shorts. A team with a great history hits it perfectly.
Pick #8 - David - New York Knicks
A Knicks team finally trying to banish the past two decades of being dog shit has hit it with this bold kit. David is particularly a fan of the 'NYC' under the Nike swoosh - not many cities can get away with that, but they do.
Pick #9 - Shea - Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are one of those teams that finds itself constantly hitting it nicely with great City kits. There is some discussion on pod about where exactly this one sits, but it is still a worthy addition to a stable of pretty tight kits from the past few seasons. This team might be really fucking good again as well, which is scary for the rest of the NBA.
Pick #10 - David - Toronto Raptors
Honestly, David was surprised to still be able to take this at 10 - but he gladly took it. There's a fucking dinosaur on it, man. As well as the choice to go with gold on black, it can't be knocked. This is a great kit that nods to some great times in Raps basketball history.
Pick #11 - Shea - Brooklyn Nets
Yeah, this is a great kit. Giving love to every Nets logo on the shorts, the old school look on the jersey, Kevin Durant rocking it - yeah, love this. Could be an MVP kit this year.
Pick #12 - David - Miami Heat
Probably the MVP of the past few years with the Vice Jerseys, Miami knew they had to do something different this year - and they've gone just as bold with this 'Ransom' style kit mashing multiple eras and kits into one typeset. It's a massive swing, but it connects.
Pick #13 - Shea - Washington Wizards
A classic look, Washington goes somewhat safe on this one, but it is clean and for a team looking to break from the past and make a surprise run this year, it might just be lucky.
Pick #14 - David - Dallas Mavericks
Dallas has (in David's opinion) been pretty average on all their kits for a while, so going back to the past with this one is very welcome. There's a cowboy hat on the D! Gotta love that.
Pick #15 - Shea - Los Angeles Clippers
Another classic look, calling back to various eras of Clipper history - and location - this one works. The shorts really top it off.
Pick #16 - David - Indiana Pacers
Indiana doesn't go too bold, but it works - just. It's a nice kit, but it's nothing special. The font is nice though. Please just be better so Sabonis makes David's fantasy team better.
Pick #17 - Shea - Memphis Grizzlies
It's nice, it hits some good notes - the shorts are the best feature - just the jersey itself had so much more potential if they went a little bolder.
Pick #18 - David - Minnesota Timberwolves
It is around this time in the draft that we hit some kits that almost grow on us as we chat about them - this Wolves one was one of those for David. The 'Wolves' font is really what helps sell it, as otherwise it is imperfect - but it works. It has Timber and it has Wolves, so 🤷♂️
Pick #19 - Shea - Cleveland Cavaliers
It's a little bit all over the place, but it works. Our main draw against it was the main jersey logo just didn't seem to work right, but overall it pays homage well - and an AMAZING detail Shea pointed around the jersey tag definitely makes this a winner for any fan of the Cavs and their 2016 title. Ya gotta love that.
Pick #20 - David - Denver Nuggets
David has a history with bright Denver unis (that story will be told on a pod someday) - this is one that doesn't bring as much joy as past years, but it still does a fair job of honouring the eclectic history of the Nuggets and their kits, as well as being a solid jersey in it's own right. Court looks great as well.
Pick #21 - Shea - Milwaukee Bucks
Starts to get a bit dicy at around this point in the draft, and it's greatly disappointing the Bucks with Giannis & as defending champs couldn't smash one out the park, or even just a grubber of a single. It isn't terrible, but it isn't great either. It's just meh. I'm sure fans and die hards may get around it, but otherwise it's a miss.
Saying all that, Giannis just looks fucking good in it. Proof that some people really can make anything work.
Pick #22 - David - Boston Celtics
Like, this kit is really cool. It's classic Celtics. It's everything you really want in a Celtics kit. But it just doesn't fire. It doesn't do much different. Boston really hasn't had much variation to make a wild swing in a mixtape idea, so it makes sense. We aren't faulting it at all really, just sadly didn't do much for us as a point of difference to any others. I'm sure their gajillion titles they list on their kit makes it okay for any fans though - it's a solid flex.
Pick #23 - Shea - Houston Rockets
Houston takes so much from some old school kits - APART FROM THE FUCKING COOL AF ROCKET. This was your chance assholes. You've blown it with Harden, blown it against the Warriors in multiple finals, you could have at least put that fucking rocket logo front and centre on your mixtape kit. But no. Ya didn't.
Pick #24 - David - Detroit Pistons
Just can't exactly put our fingers on it - David should like this, it is red - but it just doesn't quite work. Colour mix is off with the divide between the red and the deep blue, the teal in between just doesn't work. Again, meh.
Pick #25 - Shea - Los Angeles Lakers
It's rare for the Lakers to suck it up with kits, but this one really is borderline sucky. A mixtape Lakers really shouldn't be without that Yellow, the powder blue is fine if you're gonna use it right but man, this just doesn't work. A sad miss for a team so steeped in history, but missing has become the norm lately - hasn't it, Westbrick.
Pick #26 - David - Orlando Magic
Look, the orange just doesn't work here. The pinstripes don't quite work with the orange, it all just doesn't quite work. Yet, in the course of discussing on the pod... some strange magic happened and David almost talked himself into liking it. Disney magic? Who knows. It's a weird kit man. I don't fucking know.
Pick #27 - Shea - Phoenix Suns
It's an awesome kit. It could be top 5 in the draft... LAST FUCKING YEAR. The NBA itself has a new fucking logo for the 75th anniversary, and for the big kit drop for the 75th anniversary of the league, you just turn in last years assignment? Fuck off. Do better.
Pick #28 - David - Utah Jazz
See what we wrote for the Phoenix Suns, and just repeat here. Fucking hell.
Pick #29 - Shea - New Orleans Pelicans
Man, what a shitshow of an organization. Don't know if they'll last there, Zion is being fat shamed by Walt Frazier on Knicks broadcasts and can't get on the floor, and their city kit for a city with so much colour is boring. It has fun elements, it just feels like it could have been so much better. A complicated franchise history feels like it is counting against it.
Pick #30 - David - Oklahoma City Thunder
Seriously, go back to Seattle please. This is trash. The 75th anniversary of our league and because of this shitty business, some of the best kits in league history get no love here because OKC obviously is still trying to bury the ex. But in doing so, they've put out a white on white on white on... grey? Whatever the fuck it is, it's shit. Set it on fire.
What do you think? Hit us up in the mailbag with your thoughts and we'll read them out them out on pod!
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