Here’s an interesting move: The Bulls have created a line of jerseys created in collaboration with seven of their players — and instead of selling them, they’re giving them away at seven upcoming games.
There are too frivolous for on-court use and would be insipid as retail items, but they’re fun promo giveaways. And hey, no ad patches (except on the jock tags) and no maker’s marks!
Here are the jerseys, the players who inspired them, and the dates when they’ll be given away:
Zach LaVine (Dec. 20)
As you’d imagine, there’s a lot of “storytelling.” Quoting from the press release:
Paying tribute to LaVine’s “Flight 8” nickname, the first jersey in the series features a cloud and sky base fitting for LaVine’s high-flying ability. The flight patterns on the side form a baseball and basketball, Zach’s two favorite sports. The Pilot’s Wings patch uses blue and yellow to match his alma mater, UCLA. The coordinates on the back of the jersey note the latitude and longitude of the SeaTac and O’Hare airports – connecting Zach to his hometown of Seattle and Chicago.
Patrick Williams (Dec. 23)
From the press release:
This jersey is largely inspired by Williams’s nickname, “The Paw.” The first noticeable detail is a rose corsage, which pays tribute to the flower shop owned by his mother. The scratch marks on each side of the jersey feature a gradient [that] goes from gold to maroon — a nod to his time at Florida State. Four marks on the left signify this being his fourth season in the NBA while the four on the right signify his high school number. The state of North Carolina is shown on the back of the jersey, with Charlotte marked with a paw that is orange to show his love for the WNBA. In another ode to North Carolina, the word “The” being shown on the first No. 4 references the Fourth Ward of Charlotte, N.C., where Pat grew up.
DeMar DeRozan (Dec. 30)
From the press release:
Compton is in the house! The old English typeface used on both sides of the jersey pays homage to DeMar’s hometown of Compton, Cal., and its rich hip-hop history. Additionally, the back of the uniform includes the tagline “Compton’s Finest” on top of a map of the city – including a map dot of Lueders Park, home of the DeRozan Gymnasium. The front of the uniform showcases a map of Chicago with a pin on the location of the United Center, while the stripes on the side of the jersey mirror his uniform from USC in a baby blue color that matches his high school’s uniform.
Alex Caruso (Jan. 30)
From the press release:
Defense, soccer, Texas A&M, and the “Carushow” combine to make Alex Caruso’s jersey. The overall scheme of color matches that of his high school and college teams, while his signature “Carushow” nickname can be seen on the nameplate. The state of Texas is featured on the front with a star in the location of College Station, the location of Texas A&M. On the sides, chains representing his lockdown defensive style are seen, while the different patches on the side are inspired by Premier League football — one of Caruso’s favorites.
Nikola Vučević (Feb. 3)
From the press release:
USC and Vooch’s home country of Montenegro are the key pieces of inspiration for his jersey. His nickname, “Vooch,” is on the nameplate, while the jersey taping uses the red and yellow of his alma mater, USC. The crest of Montenegro is seen on the side panels, while the initials of his children can be seen in the shields on the back of the jersey.
Ayo Dosunmu (March 1)
From the press release:
Ayo’s jersey is all about his roots. The overall color scheme honors his time at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, while the four stars on each side bring the Chicago flag into the jersey. The pinstripes offer a nod to the Chicago White Sox, his favorite baseball team, while the bottom of the jersey honors his childhood friend Darius “The Jet” Brown.
Coby White (March 11)
From the press release:
Built around Coby’s “Sub Zero” nickname, the emphasis on blue and frozen elements pay homage to just that. Coby’s commitment to increasing mental health awareness and discussion is highlighted with the green Mental Health Awareness Month ribbon on the front patch of the jersey. Coby’s hometown of Goldsboro, N.C., is also featured with the inclusion of “919 The Boro” on the lower back of the jersey.
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Too bad they didn’t show us the rear views, but it’s still a fun freebie series. Nicely done, Bulls!
(My thanks to Phil for bringing this promotion to my attention.)
This is really cool!
I kinda love those! Actually, I’d be more likely to buy something like this than most of the City Connect ideas ever invented. This is a place where jersey story-telling actually belongs!
These are cool, but there’s something very odd about a map of a different city on a jersey that says “Chicago”.
Well it’s Chicago on the Chicago side and Compton on the flip side, apparently. Still weird.
I really love these. This is a much better giveaway than some generic towel or hat and an actual collectors item worth the price of a game ticket. I’d also assume the quality is TEMU-level, but these probably aren’t meant to be worn.
The only (obvious) issue: the Bulls are really bad right now and there’s a high likelihood this roster looks very different in February. I’d assume these jerseys are made to order and they can scrap them if need be.
This would have been a better idea for MLB Players’ Weekend than the ridiculous costumes the players wore then.
That “Flight 8” jersey is actually super cool with the clouds. I dig that.
The rest are… interesting. The Sub-Zero one has potential, but it seems like they could have done more than just adding icicles to the bottom of the number.
Also, are side panels making a comeback?
All of those are better than this year’s city edition
Cool ideas (especiallt the DeRozan and Williams jerseys) but I am afraid they will be gone after two tumbles in a washing machine. The quality of give away shirts is mostly very poor.