NBA Project 32 - Timberwolves Update

[SFGiants58]

PHOENIX SUNS

While I've slightly warmed to the Suns' current look, I feel they really should've gone in a different direction when they rebranded. Instead of half-assing an update of the 90's uniforms, removing nearly all purple from the set (while also changing the purple shade to something that looks more like navy blue than purple), and using terrible number font, they should have harkened back to their 1968-1992 look. It's a genuine classic, and looks notably less dated than the 90's uniforms (if you want a modernization of those, Conrad made a great concept). I tried several attempts to modernize the look, most of which fell flat due to either copying that look or using too many elements from the current look. I was lost until MBannon92 made his concept of the Suns. I loved how he was able to take the essence of that look and put a spin on it, with more creative fonts and a unique pattern in the sun panels (which looks very southwestern, an aesthetic I love), all while maintaining what made the 68-92 set work. I decided to base my concept off of his concept, modifying it to fix issues and putting my own spin on it.

When improving on MBannon92's original, I started out by making the shapes within the primary's sun the same. I felt it improved the gradient effect, and properly accented the spiked ball. I also brought back white outlines and white contrast text to eliminate some of the blurring present in MBannon92's concept. The font is a slightly modified version of the Texas Rangers' NOB font, to give it a more blocky western feel, something the Suns can get away with due to their age and location. The shade of purple is now more reddish, and the orange and yellow shades are lighter and more saturated, to make the whole set more colorful. Because I like the current "PHX" secondary, I decided to replace the sun pattern with a phoenix, colored in the same pattern as the sun. The full sun gradient shows up with the wordmark in the tertiary, to provide a court logo that is easy to center. The court takes a different approach from MBannon92's concept, with the faux-gradient effect in the college lines and the tertiary at center.

Uniforms

I decided to improve on MBannon92's uniforms by making a series of tweaks. The modified Texas Rangers font is put to good use for the lettering and numbers, giving it more of that block-like western feel with the narrower weight and sharper edges. I've brought back the white pieces of trim on the road uniform to remove any color blurring, and I've also placed the faux-gradient on the waistband striping, to take a mundane striping element and do something wild with it.

Alternate

This is an orange recolor of the home uniform, but with white taking the place of orange on the trim. The more saturated/brighter shade of orange not only enhances the "solar" feeling, but also helps it stand out from the other orange uniforms in the series (Clippers road and Thunder alt). There will be no black alt, as I don't want to dilute the purple/orange/solar gradient branding.

MBannon92 made an amazing Suns concept, and I'd like to think I've improved upon it and taken it in a few alternate directions.

Up next, we blaze on to Rip City with the Portland Trail Blazers!

[mamiller99]

I like this because the sun isn't all in your face, very good job!

[Bobster]

As a Suns fan since their first trip to the NBA Finals in 1976, there are a few thinks I like -

- The choice to base it on the 1968-92 versions. As you mention, those have aged a lot better than the Barkley-era uniforms.

- Putting the sunset on the shorts.

- The color choices. Purple, not blue/purple. And above all, not black.

And a few things I'd consider changing -

- I'd make the tertiary logo more symmetrical. It just looks a little odd, especially at midcourt.

- I'd think about using the 1970-80's western-styled wordmark, and a similar western-style number font (like Kansas Jayhawks used).

Overall, a nice design, certainly better than the one they came up with last summer, or anything else since they changes in 1992.

[PaperThin]

Those suns unis look awesome.

[greenday61892]

I am in LOVE with this new set!

[borner1996]

The bird logo looks a bit seagull-ish kinda. Doesn't look like a phoenix bird really. I love the alternate logo idea tho, just put some more definition on the bird to make it look more like a phoenix, and you should use the logo more often- possibly in the alternate uniform

[AceHawk447]

What about the ambigram?

[Telemundo219]

Here is the Orlando Magic update, now featuring stars blended into the panels (like my Clippers concept), no arm trim, and a better piping scheme (so that the stars can blend). That way, it doesn't look too dated or too generic. The logo sheet and court are the same as update 2B.

Alternate

Without a doubt, Orlando was one of the most pain-in-the-ass teams to do. All of their previous looks are either way too dated or way too generic, and it's incredibly hard to find a balance that actually looks good and unique to the Magic. I think I've done it with this one, trying to balance the current look with the past.

Up next, the Suns!

You found the balance. Great job, sir; you have won the internet.

[TheGiantsFan]

I love the Suns set! Very Southwestern in design and I love how you added onto MBannon's awesome Suns concept. Well done!

[SFGiants58]

Thanks for the C+C guys, I really appreciate it.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Ah, the Blazers. I love just about every iteration of their classic template (the original, the '90s, and the current), but I definitely prefer the Bauhaus-esque wordmarks from the 70's-1991 (a font that predates the current template). Instead of trying to make the team look more modern with inner-drop shadows, streakier stripes, and unnecessary accent colors, I decided to bring the look back towards a classic form. The original "5v5" wheel returns, in its 90's rotation and without the box containing it. The Bauhaus-esque font returns for the wordmarks, and the Bauhaus-esque "Rip City" alternate logo is now a tertiary logo (I generally don't like city nickname logos, but "Rip City" was the first and it's too good not to use). The court is inspired by their early Moda Center courts, with an empty center key and the isolated "5v5" wheel.

Uniforms

With the return of the classic wordmarks, the original color balance returns (red text with black outline at home, red text with white outline on the road). The striping scheme matches the current uniforms, but with white replacing the unnecessary silver. The classic sash returns to its '90s form with two stripes that lead directly into stripes on the shorts. Since Bauhaus numbers generally look pretty bad for a basketball uniform, the Sand Knit Varisty Block takes its place. The "5v5" wheel on the shorts now has parts change color on the road and on the alt further down in the post.

Alternates

The first red alt is a recolor of the home uniform, with the "blazers" wordmark (like their road uniform from 1979-85). The other red alt is a Hardwood Classics Alt, throwing back to their vertical text uniform from their 1977 championship run. It seriously is one of the more memorable 70's looks, and I'm surprised it doesn't come back more often.

Simply tweaking the original sash set to include some of the 90/91 and 02/03 improvements really keeps the set fresh and reinforces its classic status.

Up next, the Sacramento Kings!

[tv15]

Yes yes yes to the blazers

[TheGiantsFan]

I kinda don't like how thin the primary logo is. I think it only takes a slight thickening of it and I'm sold on the Blazers!

[mamiller99]

Very good looking, I think some grey would make it better though

[Bobster]

Yes, the Blazers got it right when they did the redesign in 1977.

[Shadojoker]

Was never a fan of the "old Walton era to pre-92-93" blazers unis. Home court hardwood looks gorgeous especially with the baseline wordmarks. But lack of paint color (their current design and this design) I never liked. Add some white paint to keep it old school.

Back to the uniforms. The style is good but the font is bad.never liked it. Try playing with the font a bit. Maybe add some grey or so. This is just my opinion of Portland. The Rip city home unis design wise are the best ones if only it didnt say Rip City.

[jayc948]

Long time lurker and Philadelphia fan here. Great job on the Sixers. The primary and alternate logos are fantastic. Although I was hoping (here and in real life) that the Sixers will choose to go back to their classic and basic early 80's look, the 70's design with the stars works well too.

The only suggestion that I can make has to do with the tertiary logo. I'm not sure that it fits in with the retro look that the uniforms are going for. The shorts also seem a little busy with the tertiary and primary logos on them along with the stars.

Anyway, awesome job! Keep up the good work, SFGiants58.

[SFGiants58]

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Ah, the oldest contiguous franchise in the NBA. Of all their different looks, my favorite is probably the 90's Richmond/Webber/Divac look. It's a 90's design that doesn't go too over the top with trends like sublimination/big chest logos/gradients. However, the Maloof era really trashed this look. It started with the addition of one of the worst number fonts in sports, then blossomed into sharp diamond piping with a white wordmark at home/black wordmark on purple. The team has tried to rectify it by putting the primary logo's wordmark on the home and road uniforms again. I've tried to take it further, getting the look more in line with their 94-02 look.

The "SK" logo returns into the logo sheet, and the crown logo is removed in favor of a "Kings" wordmark. The court is similar to their current court, but without the 3D logo and the secondary is placed within the lanes.

Uniforms

Now here is where the 90's influence takes hold. The primary wordmark returns for the home and road, and the road uniform's base goes back to black (because there are already enough purple road uniforms in this league). The paneling is an attempt to merge the 94-02 uniforms with the 02-08 look, in that the panels taper down onto the shorts (instead of only being on the shorts), while maintaining the 3-color structure of the 94-02. The "SK" logo is firmly on the shorts, as the logo seems perfect for this position. The navy/red Nets and pinstripe Pacers number font takes the place of the current number font, as it is a block font that looks modern enough to fit with the typeface. The v-neck returns, but in the striping scheme of the 90's uniforms (the v-neck looks a little better than a crew-neck for this uniform).

Alternates

The first alternate is a purple alt with the classic cursive script. It simply swaps the black for purple (and vice versa) from the road uniform, and contains a little gag meant to reference the Kings' first uniform in Sacramento: a below-number NOB. It's an extra touch of authenticity I like. The other alt is a fauxback to one of the uniforms worn by The Big O on the Cincinnati Royals (a previous incarnation of the Kings). This alt simply replaces the r/w/b color scheme for black and purple, and also replaces the "Royals" wordmark with a "Kings" one. The team has a long history before Sacramento, and it is nice to honor it every once in a while.

Giving one of the best looks from the 90's a much-deserved update not only erases some of the Maloof-era dickery, but also lets the team maintain a unique look to set them apart and make their small market more noticeable.

Up next, we go for the fundamentals with the San Antonio Spurs!

[TheGiantsFan]

Hmm, no "Sacramento" wordmarks for the Kings...?

[jhans203]

Hmm, no "Sacramento" wordmarks for the Kings...?

Yeah, I think the Royals Fauxback would look awesome with Sacramento going down the jersey.

[JTswag187]

It's to boring for Sac-town, the throwbacks nice, but the striping needs more creativity. Also the wood of the court is a little to reddish