The Minnesota Timberwolves announced the highly anticipated 2022-23 Nike City Edition uniform late Thursday morning. “Own every canvas” is this year’s campaign, shining light on “court, community, and culture.”
Many renditions of the jersey circled through Twitter this off-season, all in low-quality and poor color-contrasted images.
As a result, most Wolves fans were disappointed at what seemed to be a very cheap-looking jersey. It seemed like a large step backward from last season’s “remix the game” uniforms.
Photo credit: NBA.com
The throwback blues with the green-tree trim from last season were one of the better jerseys the Wolves have ever dawned. Therefore, anything the team would have done this year would have been a downgrade.
The leaks seemed to prove that. However, seeing them on players and in normal rendering, these uniforms are not as bad as people are making them out to be, especially when you look at the never-before-seen twist.
Photo Credit: Timberwolves.com
This very colorful and unique uniform features licks from throughout the team’s history. That includes the Kevin Garnett and Kevin Love days while also tying in the team’s baby blues from 2019.
“Sport and art are universal languages that evoke emotion, inspire generations, and grow communities,” said Timberwolves and Lynx Chief Marketing Officer Mike Grahl. “Minnesota is home to a community of bold and unique artists, creators, doers, and makers across all mediums, and we’re excited to commemorate that with this year’s City Edition.”
As part of the “community and culture” direction of the uniform – “A Love Letter to Minnesota’s Art Scene” – the team will feature local artists. Some of them include Jan Rae (poetry and spoken word), Bris Carbajal (garment art), Avery Weiler (multidisciplinary art), and Nailah Taman (multidisciplinary art).
The Wolves have also bought billboard displays throughout the metro area. Some will be located on First Avenue, I-35W, and inside the Target Center atrium.
The Never Before Seen Twist
Being a jersey nerd, I hate nothing more than when an NBA team’s jersey doesn’t match the hardwood – something the Timberwolves have done a great job at doing.
Remember the Purple Reign uniforms in 2019, which featured the sexy light-and-dark purple combo? The Purple Reign threads (more commonly referred to as the Prince jerseys) clashed horribly with the regular blue court the Wolves have had since 2017.
I have yet to forget how perfectly a purple-outlined court with the scribbled font on either baseline would have looked.
Despite the Wolves never having a custom court, they finally have one for this year’s “own every canvas” jerseys.
Having a matching hardwood takes special-edition jerseys to the next level. With the mixed messages the team has received, having an alternate court for the first time in franchise history will make these unis so much easier on the eyes.
The Wolves and their brand-new court will face off in front of Timberwolves fans 10 times during the regular season:
- Monday, Nov. 21 vs. Miami Heat
- Sunday, Dec. 18 vs. Chicago Bulls
- Friday, Jan. 6 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
- Friday, Jan. 13 vs. Phoenix Suns
- Friday, Jan. 27 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
- Friday, Feb. 3 vs. Orlando Magic
- Friday, Feb. 24 vs. Charlotte Hornets
- Tuesday, March 7 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
- Friday, March 31 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- Sunday, April 2 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
When thinking back to last season’s “remix the game” City Edition uniforms, one thing comes to mind – winning and making the playoffs. With all the expectations around this Wolves team, making the postseason seemed like a no-brainer heading into the year. However, the Wolves sit at 5-7 and have been taking on a lot of water to start the season. So, here’s to hoping the Wolves can start turning around their play while rocking this year’s very unique and colorful City Edition threads!
