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5 Things We Love and Hate About the New Timberwolves Uniforms

Breaking down the five best and worst parts of the Minnesota Timberwolves new uniforms.

Pat Benson

The Minnesota Timberwolves unveiled their new uniforms.
The Minnesota Timberwolves unveiled their new uniforms. / Minnesota Timberwolves

After months of leaks and weeks of teasing, the Minnesota Timberwolves officially unveiled their new uniforms on Sunday. This is the first wardrobe update the team has undergone since 2017, and NBA fans could not be happier. It was a major upgrade, yet still has room for improvement.

As expected, the Timberwolves combine elements from the franchise's first two sets of uniforms, with a heavy emphasis on the first, and a look to the future. This is known as the "Modern Classic" design trend, and it is sweeping across the NBA. Below are our five favorite and least-favorite aspects of the new uniforms.

Hate: Wrong Era to Celebrate

The Minnesota Timberwolves were terrible for almost their entire first decade. Unfortunately, it completely overlapped with the era that the new uniforms draw inspiration from. They had a record of 152-422 (26% winning percentage) from 1989-1996. This is like Charlotte fans wanting to bring back the Bobcats era.

Love: Minimalism Done Right

I often roll my eyes when fans call uniforms clean, as less is often less in sports apparel. But for as much as I despise minimalism in sports design, the Timberwolves' new uniforms are extremely sharp and intentional.

Hate: Changing 'Timberwolves' to 'Wolves'

Abbreviating the nickname Timerbwolves to Wolves feels like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays rebranding as Rays. That's not what the team is doing, but it is still a slippery slope. It just feels wrong to take the 'Timber' out of Minnesota — especially with incredible tree-decorated details around the uniforms.

Love: Still in the Woods

The most important part of the new uniforms — which every Timberwolves fan wanted — was the addition of the tree details around the trim. It is such a unique and iconic look that literally no other NBA team can claim. The only downside, is that the trees only appear in the "Statement" edition uniforms and not across every set.

Love: Iconic Colors

There is only one other NBA team with a green and blue color palette, and it is the Dallas Mavericks — and even they use it sparingly in alternate uniforms. It's truly refreshing to see bright colors after a decade of drab and dreary uniforms taking over the NBA. Plus, the team always has the black "Statement" uniforms when they want to embrace a more fierce aesthetic on the court.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

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.

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