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• There have been some outrageous and innovative basketball team wear that has come and gone through the last few years
• The introduction of reversible basketball uniforms quickly led to their use on practice courts from high schools to NBA arenas

The sport of basketball has spawned some pretty outrageous designs and fashions that have left the basketball wearing public eager for more. It seems that the more outrageous the design, the more popular it became. There are several instances where a new shoe or uniform debuted to much hype and fan fare only to fade after what seemed like a short time on the market.

One such instance we can all remember dates to the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and were called the Reebok Pumps. When they first started to gain popularity in 1989 these sneakers were at the forefront of athletic shoe technology. These sneakers were expensive compared to competitors brands and became somewhat of a status symbol. The sneakers were at the height of their popularity in 1990 and 1991 when Dominique Wilkens and Dee Brown were wearing them. In fact, Dee Brown wore them when he won the slam dunk competition in 1991. In no time at all, the basketball wearing youth of America were clamoring to get a pair of these shoes. Their outrageous design featuring the pump built into the tongue of the sneaker in the shape of basketball has never been replicated. However, they no longer remain the dominant shoe they once were as fans and players alike no longer wear them.

Another innovative and outrageous innovation for the basketball wearing population was the introduction of reversible basketball uniforms. The use of these uniforms became a staple at practices for teams of all skill levels; from high school teams all the way up to NBA teams. Reversible uniforms were a great practice aid by allowing players to switch sides quickly, without changing uniforms. In some cases it allowed teams on tight budgets to combine their home and away uniforms into one jersey. This has become more common on the high school level than on the college or professional level.

Finally, there have been some pretty outrageous uniform designs that have made their way onto an NBA court. One such case that comes to mind were the uniforms of the Charlotte Hornets during the mid 1990’s. Apparently, someone thought it was a good idea to combine the color teal with white pin striping for the uniform design. I think most people would agree that pin striping does not work well on basketball wearing tank tops and shorts. Thankfully, these uniforms were replaced after a few years with a much more traditional design.

Every year there is some sort of outrageous basketball design whether it is a new shoe or a new basketball team uniform. NBA players are always striving for the latest in athletic shoe technology and basketball wear. As long as the fans demand it, basketball apparel companies will continue to strive for the most innovative and outrageous designs possible.