NBA’s warriors to sport short-sleeve jersey

The Golden State Warriors and adidas are launching what could be a fashion revolution in the NBA with a new short sleeved jersey that gives the team a dramatic new look.

BY JOSH KERNS

Feb 11, 2013, 10:54 AM Updated: 11:39 am

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The Warriors' Harrison Barnes models the new short-sleeved jersey the team will unveil later this month. (adidas image)

(adidas image)

Change doesn’t come easy for sports fans, so it’ll be interesting to see how they handle the Golden State Warriors new short-sleeved jersey the team unveiled Monday.

The new jersey is a far cry from the t-shirt Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing sported nearly 30 years under his jersey, the inspiration for adidas president and CEO Rick Welts, who told USA Today he’s harbored the idea since then.

The Warriors’ Harrison Barnes models the new short-sleeved jersey the team will unveil later this month. (adidas image)

Welts, then an NBA marketing executive, said the materials and performance just didn’t make the cut. But now, all the advances in fabrics have made it possible to produce a high-tech jersey that’s lighter and better fitting than the existing tank tops.

The new jersey will make its debut February 22 when the Warriors take on the San Antonio Spurs. Golden State also plans to wear them March 8 against the Houston Rockets and March 15 against the Chicago Bulls. And they could wear them in other games as well depending on the reaction.

“For me and for the organization, we’re trying to set a really different path for the Warriors,” said Welts.

Adidas says the new jersey and shorts are made with 60 percent recycled material and adidas’ ClimaCool ventilation system and is more comfortable and 26 percent lighter than Golden State’s regular uniforms.

Adidas VP Lawrence Norman said athletes are hungry for lighter weight and higher performance in everything from shoes to shirts. “They believe lighter is faster and we agree. Players are already wearing compression shirts under their jerseys. If you look at colleges, there’s a lot of college players wearing shirts under their jerseys. Rec players are wearing t-shirts instead of tanks. There is a legitimate trend in the marketplace,” he told USA Today.

Of course, it’s about more than appearance and performance. Adidas clearly hopes it’ll launch a new fashion revolution and the sales that come with it.

“Fans like the opportunity to wear a short-sleeve shirt to the games to support their team but also high school kids can wear in the hallways to the mall. It’s a great solution for fans to support their teams,” Norman said.

But how will fans react to a new look on court? Even Welts expects some backlash.

“I’m fully expecting there will be a lot of traditionalists out there who say, ‘that’s not what a basketball jersey is supposed to look like,’ ” Welts said. “Any change is going to evoke criticism and we know and expect that. But that’s how you make progress and this is a progressive step on the jersey front.”

Welts said 5-10 other teams could be interested in well, but he declined to name them.

What do you think?