Utah Jazz Unveil New Mountain Basketball Uniforms
Photo courtesy of Utah Jazz
Since taking over as owner of the Utah Jazz in 2020 Ryan Smith has not been afraid to make changes within the organization. From backing the trades of franchise cornerstones Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively, to brining in Danny Ainge as CEO of basketball operations, Smith has showcased a willingness to make difficult decisions.
One particularly notorious decision Smith has been ridiculed for is the release of jerseys that are, to put it nicely, attention-grabbing. For two seasons the Jazz uniforms have featured block letters spelling out “Utah” or “Jazz” with highlighter-yellow backgrounds or text color. Fans and pundits alike have heralded these uniforms as the worst in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
It seems Smith, alongside creatives within the organization, have heard the criticism on the uniforms loud and clear. On Wednesday, the Jazz released a promotional video highlighting the prevalence of “mountain basketball” on their social accounts. In this video, youth players are shown playing at local Utah courts in purple, black and white uniforms featuring mountains. In the finale of the video current Jazz players, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks and Walker Kessler are seen modeling the new threads.
Shortly after the release of the mountain basketball video, follow-up posts were made establishing a timeline for the new uniforms. For the 2024-25 season the Association edition and Statement edition uniforms will be the same white and black uniforms with highlighter yellow accents as used in previous seasons. The black and yellow statement edition jerseys will only be used through Dec. 31, 2024, however. On Jan. 1, 2025 the Statement edition jersey will be replaced with a black jersey featuring gray, purple and blue accents with the “J-note” overlayed on the mountains. The final uniform change for the season is the City edition. The City edition features a purple jersey and pants with light blue and white accents. Also of note, the “J-note” logo is replaced with the word “Utah” placed on top of light purple, white and blue mountains serving as a callback to the uniforms worn during the John Stockton and Karl Malone years.
With this announcement, the Jazz also unveiled their uniform plans for the 2025-26 season. According to the mountain basketball page on NBA.com, the Jazz opted for this stating, “Launching both years at once clarifies our intent and mission.” As for what will stay the same, the black and purple Statement edition for the 2024-25 season will serve as the Statement edition for 2025-26 as well. The Association edition uniform features a white base with purple, blue and white gradient mountains with “Utah” across the chest in gray and white. The Icon edition shares many similarities with the Association edition but instead opts for a dark purple base color with purple, white and blue gradient mountains as well as “Utah” being written in purple and black. The City edition for the 2025-26 season has not been unveiled yet and is listed with a release date of Fall 2025.
Whether or not the Jazz turn over a new leaf and get back to winning ways is yet to be seen. That said, these new uniforms will serve as a fresh identity for the organization and its fans who seek to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
