Earlier this month, former Sacramento Kings point guard Mike Bibby accidentally leaked the team’s new “Classic” edition uniform, and yesterday, the Kings made if official by officially unveiling the uni, along with a 40th Season logo.
Naturally, they did so with a hype video…
Welcome Back.
Sign up to be notified when the all-new Classic Edition Jerseys hit the shelves! https://t.co/RNK9YmbvQs pic.twitter.com/NlgCyPCqnn— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) September 16, 2024
Since Bibby leaked the “new” uniform, it was only appropriate that he and Doug Christie — former Kings star and currently an assistant on coach Mike Brown’s staff — starred in the unveiling. Not coincidentally, the unveil came on “916 Day,” a nod to Sacramento’s area code.
Per the team,
To celebrate 40 years of Sacramento basketball, the Kings will wear a Classic Edition uniform for select games during the 2024-25 season. This throwback to the original road uniform, worn from 2002-2008, marked the first time “Sacramento” appeared across the chest, displayed in bold white lettering with a black outline. The uniform’s primary color—a vibrant, rich purple—became a defining feature of the team’s identity, creating a strong visual impact on the court.
The secondary “SK” logo, introduced in 1994 and used in team brand until 2014, was used on a uniform for the first time with this design, appearing on the side of the right side of the short. This 2024-25 Classic Edition is more than just a jersey—it’s a tribute to our city and the game we love. It represents our proud history and the unforgettable moments shared on the court.
The “new” uniform is a pretty faithful throwback to the 2002-08 road uniform worn by the Kings:
About the only difference is the throwback (“Classic”) edition has the maker’s mark on the chest, and the crown logo on the waistband, which previously appeared above the NOB namplate. And of course, Nike’s tailoring cuts off sleeve stripes mid-back.
The NBA logo, which previously occupied space on the left chest, is now located above the nameplate.
In addition to unveiling the new uniforms, the team also unveiled a new 40th Season logo.
John Rinehart, the team’s President of Business Operations, said “As we celebrate 40 years of the Kings in Sacramento, we are excited to pay tribute to our city and the unforgettable moments we have seen on the court while looking forward to what is to come.”
The Kings will debut the Classic Edition uniform when they face the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 24 at Golden 1 Center. They’ll be worn a total of eight times this season. Besides the debut against the Nets, the Kings will wear them against Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 25, Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 19 and 21, Indiana Pacers on Dec. 22, Washington Wizards on Jan. 19, Golden State Warriors on Jan. 22 and Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 24.
Purple and black are always difficult colors to work with together, but the Kings managed to do so pretty well with these uniforms. I was never particularly a fan of the “SACRAMENTO” wordmark, but it’s difficult to fit a word of that length on the small space of a hoop jersey. Nevertheless, I will be excited to see the ’02-’08 “Classic” make a return to the hardwood. I’d say the design has aged surprisingly well.
What do you guys think of the Kings new throwback?
I don’t hate this. And there’s no BS storytelling other than “we used to wear this, and it looked kinda cool, so we’re busting it out again.”
Not a classic- just a reminder of how ugly purples and teals were 20 or so years ago.
As a Kings fan, I love these unis. Maybe because this was the “golden era” of Kings basketball in Sacramento. As much as I love the original 80s unis, these are when Sacramento was the loudest barn in the game, and were challenging for titles, even if they got screwed by a crooked ref.
These debuted the season after that Lakers’ series, though.
Video is super fun!
Uniform looks great.
It would be better if it were a Royals uniform. :-)
I guess it’s my turn to feel old now
Pretty sick…real fiya!!
How jacked is Mike Bibby?!?