
Good morning, Uni Watchers, and a Happy Tuesday to one and all. I hope everyone had a good day yesterday. ICYMI, I had a later piece on 12 proposed NFL throwbacks I think you’ll enjoy, so if you missed it yesterday, please give it a read (thanks!).
UW pal/contributor/author Leo Strawn, Jr. joins us again today, with more looks at basketball uniforms from yore. If you missed Part 1, click here, for Part 2, click here, for Part 3, click here, or for Part 4, click here.
Enjoy!
And now, here’s Leo with…

Hoops, Volume 4
by Leo Strawn, Jr.
I’m Leo…welcome to my world!
It’s time to look at the ABA’s New York Nets!
These are among my favorite uniforms of any sport, any league, any era, both home and away. [Ed. note: Me too!]

However, there was something that always bugged me about them. It’s one of those “can’t unsee it” things for me and I haven’t been able to unsee it for half a century. I dove down the ABA rabbit hole for info on that anomaly while putting these hardwood editions together and ran into another oddity regarding when these uniforms were worn. I’ll start with the latter.
I mentioned this professional hoops uni history site in Volume 2. Unfortunately, that website doesn’t show the backs of jerseys/shorts as you can see if you peek at the Nets page. The site appears to be well-researched, though less than stellar when it comes to details.
Rick Barry played for the Nets during his last two ABA seasons, 1970-71 and 1971-72.
The ABA version of the Nets uniforms in the Dr. J photos above are listed on that site as 1972-76. From that, you might assume New York began wearing them for the 1972-73 season, which would mean that Rick never wore this uniform. However, Barry obviously wore those uniforms listed as 1972-76 even though he was playing in the NBA with the Warriors again starting with the 1972-73 season.
The odd thing is that as far as I can tell, bballjerseys.com isn’t wrong regarding the years for the 1972-76 uniforms. It’s the reality of having to hyphenate two years when referring to basketball seasons that makes it confusing.
I don’t doubt that every ABA game had been photographed by someone, but finding a photo from every game in an 84-game season plus playoff games can be a daunting task, even with the benefit of the internet. So, I can’t say with 100% certainty, but it appears to me that these uniforms were worn for the first time during the spring of 1972 for the ABA playoffs, possibly against all 3 opponents, the Colonels, Squires and Pacers.
I didn’t find any photos of the Nets wearing them prior to the playoffs, so if that is indeed when they began wearing these beauties, then it’s true that they did only wear them in the ABA from 1972-76. The 1972 playoffs were technically the playoffs for the 1971-72 season, so hopefully the site owner can update with that info in the ‘alternates/special jerseys’ section or maybe add it to the 1971-72 season page, so someone else down the road doesn’t say, “But, Topps shows Rick Barry…”
What led me to that odd info was trying to figure out when this change took place:
Looks awkward without the stripe on the back of the jersey, doesn’t it? It always bugged me. Obviously, at some point, it did appear on jersey backs, so I set out to figure out when that occurred.
That mosaic of what I think are all 1972 playoff pics show that the red stripe did not go up the back on any of those where the back is visible. This photo of Jim Chones defending against Julius Keye has to be from the following season (1972-73), the only one Chones played with the Nets and the last season the Rockets wore that lilac-colored jersey. So far, 1972 playoffs and 1972-73 season were without an S.O.B. (stripe on back).
1973 saw the Nets acquire Erving from Virginia and he stayed with New York for the remainder of the ABA’s existence. 1973-74 was the last season Kentucky wore blue/white (adding red to the mix beginning with the 1974-75 season). The second photo below was taken during the 1974 Finals, which would be the first of two ABA titles for the Nets. That appears to be when the missing red stripe era ended.
The Pacers began wearing these in the 1974-75 season, which was Kevin Joyce’s last season with Indiana. The red stripe on the back of Nets jerseys appears for the first time that season.
The following season would sadly be the ABA’s final one.
I don’t have any information as to why the Nets jerseys were initially missing that red stripe, but once they finally included it on the back, my oh my, what a sweet (and complete) uniform!
Until next time…
Cheers!
I’ve shown this photo before, but with today’s subject matter, once more can’t hurt. Here’s a look at seven (?) year old Phil, who DIYed a New York Nets uniform (obviously not particularly well, lol). Why? Growing up, I lived within walking distance of the Nassau Coliseum so I had the privilege to see many Nets games (and of course, Dr. J). They were my favorite team as a youngster, but when the Nets joined the NBA and moved to New Jersey, my allegiance shifted to the Knicks (though I still have a soft spot for the Nets, particularly now that they’re back on Long Island). Dig:
Obviously I never did get the side panel/red stripe on my DIY (nor the correct number of stars) — but props to Leo for noticing the subtle, but major, change to the stripe pattern!
Looking forward to Part 6!
Readers? What say you?
As always, capital work Leo. When I did my New Year’s graphic, I made sure to put the red stripe in Bill Melchionni’s box.
GTGFTS
20 Jul 1950
Make up from 11 May rainout at Crosley Field
Reds win this game 3-1 and complete the sweep 6-2.
In a game that would never be seen today, Raffensberger and Newcombe both pitch CG and the game is over in 1:53.
GTGFTU
December 31, 2006 – Ravens 19, Bills 7
The only time the Ravens wore their black uniforms against this particular version of the Bills uniform.
Wasn’t this same pic posted for the GTGFTU a couple weeks back? I know that Bills set has come up recently. That, or I’m having serious deja vu.
Great feature Leo. Yet another thing I never noticed before, but will bug me from now on!
I wonder if the reason why the stripes appeared/disappeared was because you only had a local maker of sports uniforms (say, Gerry Cosby) doing them instead of a mass-marketing company.
OMG, there is so much wrong with those Bills uniforms…
Yes! I was so glad when that era of their uniforms ended.
That Nets uniform is also my favorite sports uniform of all time.
Also, the red-white-blue basketball is one of the coolest things EVER…
Agree and agree.
The Nets in their Washington Capitals uniforms are the greatest design in
ABA history by far.
GTGFTS: 20 Jul 1950, Brooklyn Dodgers 1 – 3 Cincinnati Reds
First game of a doubleheader, both pitchers went the whole game, which lasted 1:43. Seems I was beaten on this one.
Leo – fabulous job! Those Nets uniforms were the best. Having grown up on Lawn Guyland as a huge Nets fan (The Doctor, The Whopper, Sweet Lou, etc) I would like to chime in on this portion of Nets uniform history. IIRC, the Nets changed up their uniforms mid-season to coincide with their move the Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum: link
The last game played at the Island Garden would have been Saturday February 5th 1971, and the first game at the Coliseum was the next Friday February 11th: link
If you (or any reader) runs across pre-playoff Nets photos from 1972 where they are wearing these unis, I’d be interested to see.
Interestingly, if you’re correct and those were worn prior to the 1972 playoffs, the hoops website is still spot on when it says “1972-“, so whoever runs that site most likely knows exactly when the Nets first wore these.
Thanks for that.
Cheers!
How about those Pacers uniforms? Would love to see those as throwbacks or a modernized rebrand based on that look.
That Nets uniform definitely one of greatest of all time, but let’s not forget a similar uniform as well. The original Washington Capitals uniform is one of the greatest of all time as well. It does not get the credit it deserves. Too many people think the black, blue and gold is their best, but they are so wrong.
The Nets changed uniforms when the first game was ever played midseason at the Nassau Colosseum
Thanks for that. J-Dub in Chicagoland stated the same, so I assume that’s correct.
Need pre-playoff pics from 1972 after the move to Nassau, if anyone has any.
Cheers!
Leo – found this somewhat-definitive write-up: link
Wow, Leo, that was a lot of research! Thank you for being so dedicated. It sure sounds like your timeline is correct; I hope someone can officially verify it. Those uniforms are indeed classics.
I, too, went to many games at the Nassau Coliseum because it was much easier (and cheaper) than going into the city to see the Knicks. I’m not sure (my parents drove us everywhere) but I think I also went to a couple of Nets’ games when they played in Commack. That sparks an idea: anyone ever dive into the unforms worn by teams in the North American Hockey League (1973-77)? The Broome Dusters, the Johnstown Jets (featuring the Carlson Brothers!) and my Long Island Cougars.
I’ve always contended that the NBA never saw Julius Erving at his best. He remains the greatest athlete I’ve ever seen.
Thanks for the compliment, Kid.
Cheers!
Hey Leo – Great post and research as always!
I always thought the stripe came and went randomly from the beginning of that uniform, but never did any research on it. Bothered me too, and I assume you and I might have even talked a lot about it back in the day. When I mentioned it on uni-watch (2/22/23) – secretly hoping that Paul would track down and interview a tired seamstress or money-squeezing GM – sadly neither occurred. :( But we did both unearth a photo of the Nets and Nuggets squaring off, with Dr. J having the stripe and Kim Hughes NOT having the stripe – IN THE SAME GAME no less – which always REALLY puzzled me. Looks like ’75/’76. I suppose some answers, like the Sand Diego Sails, are long gone now…
Arguably, one of the all-time greatest uniforms, period. A real shame they’re not reissued to that quality, where the manufacturers get cutesy with the template. Making narrower stripes,and smaller stars.