5 Hidden Details in the Houston Rockets New Uniforms
The Houston Rockets unveiled their new uniforms on Thursday, and the splashy announcement did not disappoint. Their social media team had teased the upcoming unveiling for weeks with videos set inside a restaurant, hinting at the return of their iconic "ketchup and mustard" color combination.
There is plenty to unpack, and it's all good. The "Modern Classic" uniform trend continues to sweep across the NBA and NFL. Teams are taking elements from different eras in their uniform history and combining them into a beautiful masterpiece.
The Rockets primary uniforms include: white (Association), red (Icon), and black (statement). This year's City Edition has not yet been unveiled. However, Nike and the Rockets went above and beyond with their attention to detail. Below are five key design elements you may have missed at first glance.
Lowercase 't' in Typography
The updated Houston Rockets wordmark across the chest blends modern typography with elements inspired by classic team branding (notice the lowercase 't'). According to the Rockets, the new wordmark modernizes the championship era typography with a futuristic edge. The return of the signature lowercase 't' honors the past while redefining the future of Rockets basketball.
Axis Role Stripe
The jagged two-tone stripes down the lateral sides of the white (Icon) and red (Association) uniforms are supposed to look like that. It mimics a rocket's natural rotation shortly after launch to align with its specific target orbit.
Return of the Dunkstronaut
When you have multiple iconic logos, you should not have to choose just one. Fans will immediately notice the iconic Rockets "R" on the shorts. The Primary Icon symbolizes two rockets launching through a Saturn-inspired basketball hoop. However, it is the return of the fan-favorite Dunkstronaut that we love.
The secondary logo appears on the waistband of each pair of shorts. The updated interpretation of the logo honors the Rockets' history while evolving for the future. Lastly, the Global Logo draws inspiration from space mission patches. Two quasars symbolize the team's journey from San Diego to Houston.
Hyperspeed Texture
If you think you're seeing pinstripes, you're not wrong. The quasar-inspired pinstripe reflects the speed, force, and intensity of Rockets basketball. This design element is present across all three uniform sets.
Commander Stripe
On the back middle portion of the Statement Edition jersey, a red Commander’s Stripe draws inspiration from NASA mission leadership identifiers with EVA suit-inspired red trim elements. The Commander Stripe only appears on the Statement Edition jerseys.
Additional Details
It's not a hidden detail, but the color choices are notable. The official color palette is a return to the team's championship era from the 1990s, with a spacy look to the future. Rockets Red, Championship Yellow, Black, and White are the official team colors.
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Pat Benson covers team uniforms and player apparel for Jerseys On Sports Illustrated. Pat is a trusted voice for fans, regularly breaking news, spotlighting important stories, and interviewing the biggest names in sports. Pat also covers the footwear industry and has authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020." You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.