Here They Are


Here they are folks. From the Wolves' press release:
The Timberwolves home uniform's primary color will remain white. The wordmark, which has been modified slightly to provide more clarity, returns to the abbreviated "Wolves" across the chest rather than the previously depicted "Timberwolves." The abbreviated wordmark "Wolves" is a return to the team's original uniform design introduced during the franchise's first season in 1989-90. Also new to the design is an identity appearing on each side of the uniform under the arms and on the side of the shorts in which the primary focus is the traditional Timberwolves trees. Beyond the trees is the night sky that through an element of discovery forms a W on the side of the jersey and an M on the side of the shorts. The tree line remains a core element in the neck trim, but has been removed from shoulders, short waist and short hem. The back neck features the team's Wolf head logo, while the home shorts have the wordmark "Minnesota" on the back.
These uniforms are being released in anticipation of the Wolves' 20th season in the league. According to Ted Johnson, Sr. Vice President of Communications and Chief Marketing Officer for the squad, they are also a sign that the team (and brand) is "looking forward" after last year's big KG trade. This is a new team that is building for the future and it required a new look.
The uniforms themselves are the result of a year and a half long process that coordinated elements from the team, the NBA, and Adidas. Players were able to get involved in by giving input regarding comfort and manufacturing, i.e. fit testing.
You may notice that the uniforms are a bit different from the leaked photo of Kevin Love from the rookie photo session.

As you can see, the lettering on Love's jersey is quite a bit different from the larger font that is on the official uniform. In another leaked photo, Love's jersey featured a neck line that was not contained in the finished product. The bottom line here is that Love's leaked jersey was a prototype used for the rookie shoot so that card and video game developers could have as close to up-to-date information as possible.
Random notes:
- When asked if there was any response to some of the things that were said by fans about the leaked Love photo, the team cited two things: enlarging the word mark and the neck line. It wasn't clear whether or not these changes were made in response to the Love photo or if they were simply a part of the long process of making a new jersey. I'll try to find out more on this front. UPDATE: I have been informed by the Wolves that the changes were not in response to the Love leak and that they were simply a normal part of the design process.
- According to Christopher Arena, NBA VP for Apparel, Sporting Goods & Basketball Partnerships, any similarity between the Wolves' new jersey and recent jersey roll-outs by the Hawks and Mavs is coincidental. Most modern NBA jerseys try to keep a clean front and this leaves a limited amount of space underneath the arm and on the shorts for graphic design.
- Mike Miller has some sweet kicks.
- Home jerseys will feature "Wolves" rather than "Timberwolves".
- Away jerseys will feature "Minnesota" rather than "Timberwolves".
- I asked about some of the issues that will face OKC in the design of their new uniforms. If the Wolves took a year and a half to get the final product, the guys in OKC must be pulling their hair out about now. Mr. Arena acknowledged that the process for OKC has been truncated but that the ownership group there had a very good idea of what they want. Normally, the process takes a look at options a, b, and c. Thankfully, OKC's option a was well thought out and they were able to move ahead on a shortened schedule. There will be some challenges on the manufacturing side, but we'll see the new jerseys this year.
- There will not be a black alternate uniform this year. It is a league rule that when you introduce new uniforms, you can't wear alternates for a year. It is likely that they will have an alternate uniform within a few years.
- You will be able to pre-order Wolves apparel at the new site www.shopwolves.com.
All in all, I have to say that I really like the uniforms. The lettering size appears to have been taken care of in regards to the Love leak and I'm really feeling the change to "Wolves" at home and "Minnesota" on the road. I really like the home whites and to tell you the truth, I really like the neck line on the road blues. Also, while I know they can't have an alternate for a year, I think the possibilities for a green or black alternate jersey with this set up are outstanding.
What say you?
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31 comments
Comments
I Like the Away Jerseys
The Home Jerseys on the other hand, Bleh
by Tony_O on Aug 18, 2008 11:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Way better
Much better than I thought from the Love picture. I like the side stuff — more interesting and kinda flashy.
The old home and away uniforms had too much going on that didn’t work on TV. These seem designed for the small screen. I look forward to seeing them in action.
by TMiss on Aug 18, 2008 12:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I would've preferred throwbacks for the anniversary year
and new jerseys next year. I think the throwback celebration always goes well and it changes up the look without having to rebrand, PLUS they still have the opportunity to do new jerseys.
Also, on the Wolves front page (nba.com/timberwolves) they have a new look foye jersey, but at shopwolves.com they don’t have it for sale… what gives?
by wyn on Aug 18, 2008 1:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Not really crazy about the lettering still .. but that may be that I’m not used to it yet. Looks a LOT better than the Love one + I’m digging the trees on the side. Damn, this is gonna cost me again ^^.
Mike Miller has some sweet kicks. > Definitly, was thinking the same thing, they might even look better on the home jerseys.
by Wim (Belgium) on Aug 18, 2008 1:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm going with...
….a Bassy jersey. I’m really liking the home whites.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 18, 2008 1:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Once they have a Bassy one available that is.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 18, 2008 1:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I might go with you on that one. Keep us posted :)
by Wim (Belgium) on Aug 18, 2008 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m trying to like them but I just don’t. I agree on Miller’s shoes though!
To me the uniforms are trying to do too much – looks like they want to be 3 uniforms in one. I don’t like the collar trim and I find that the tree on the side looks too “cartoony.” (Where’s that smoking cartoon wolf when you need him?)
Jefferson looks sharp in those whites, but only because he’s daddy cool (which they should play at Target Center whenever he’s introduced).
I don’t know what I’d suggest exactly, just something more classic. Still, it could be worse, they could have gone the Australian women’s team spandex route…
by plinytheelder on Aug 18, 2008 2:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The Aussie women's jersey...
…definitely wouldn’t have been good :)
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 18, 2008 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You mean these fans:

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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 19, 2008 8:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i like the whites merely OK, but not the away gear. agreed with pliny that the side trim is cartoonish — but i’d say even gaudy — and this is intensified by the blue color scheme. obviously a committee with various interests hammered this out and somebody insisted “we gotta keep the tree imagery” and someone said “lets get two birds with one stone and make it a "W” too" and this is what you get as a consequence.
HOWEVER, these are a vast improvement over the k love version previously leaked. i suspect these are getting such a warm response around here only because we were all bracing ourselves to endure the complete mediocrity of the earlier version.
by secretarykissinger on Aug 18, 2008 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think...
..that may have something to do with it. We were bracing for the worst with the K-Love leak.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 18, 2008 8:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey, these are good
I like these ones much better than the ‘leaked’ photos.
I’m very glad they made the changes. Now they just need to photoshop out Jefferson’s cankles, and all is perfect! (smile wink)
Mortimer
by Mortimer on Aug 18, 2008 3:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Me No Likey
What has two thumbs both pointed downwards at these uniforms?
This guy. These won’t be flying off the shelves.
I fool all the people all the time.
by TheOldLogo on Aug 18, 2008 3:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't see the differences
between Mike Miller’s jersey and K-Love’s leaked jersey.
Can somebody point them out to me??
by wyn on Aug 18, 2008 4:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i think
its mostly the size of the team name text, which seems less disproportionately small on miller’s. i had thought that the green and white side trimming wasn’t even on the old love version, but now, upon closer scrutiny, i think it was there all along, just not so visible from the front perspective.
but the true test will be how these will look with two arms outstretched overhead, firing an outlet pass downcourt. haha.
by secretarykissinger on Aug 18, 2008 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is the text size
It is different in the Love leaked picture.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 18, 2008 8:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not totally convinced that's the case.
I agreed at first glance, but the distance of the letters from the numbers and from the neck triangle look similar in Love and Miller’s jerseys.
Did they say specifically that the jerseys changed from Love’s leaked photo?
Regardless, we are now splitting the thinnest of hairs.
by wyn on Aug 18, 2008 10:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They did say they were different
There were apparently 2 different leaked photos. One had a different neck line and one had different lettering.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 19, 2008 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In fairness
OKC has had even more time than the Timberwolves. They have been working on their jerseys since Bennett bought the team. Its not like he was planning on staying in Seattle.
I do like the new jerseys. Very cool.
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by GreatOden'sRaven on Aug 18, 2008 5:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I asked about the OKC jerseys on the call...
…and they said that the process was “truncated”. According to the VP of NBA Apparel they had a good first design whereas most teams come with option a, b, and c, OKC had a good enough option a. I guess that doesn’t really speak to the fact that they had their eye on the move for a while, but they are short enough on the process that there will be some issues with manufacturing. Not bad issues, but he said they may ship later than all the other jerseys.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 18, 2008 8:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I
I like the blue ones, but the white ones have too much white
by DedicatedFollowerOfFashion on Aug 18, 2008 8:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Alternate jerseys
I know KG is gone and all, but I would love to see a road alternate with ’Sota on the front.
by Jerdawn282 on Aug 18, 2008 9:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
They could also go with...
“Minny” on the front. Maybe they could dust of a special throwback for the game in Boston in 2 years when they roll in there with my geeked out lineup of Curry, Rubio, Miller, Love, and Jefferson.
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 19, 2008 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or the old MPLS jerseys...
…like the old Lakers.
That would be one geeky lineup…except that with Jefferson in there you could have 4 white dudes with perms and still be the coolest team on the planet.
by plinytheelder on Aug 19, 2008 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh wait I guess MPLS would make them just a Minneapolis team, sorry bout that.
by plinytheelder on Aug 19, 2008 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd love to see them go back to Mpls
Who cares about the rest of the state anyway? :)
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 19, 2008 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They would be a bit undersized...
…but holy hell could they be efficient on offense. Curry and Miller from beyond 3 with Love and Jefferson running the hi/low post and Rubio all over the place. Foye/McCants, Brewer, and Gomes off the bench. We’d see about 20-25 3pa per game with that lineup. I’m still going with my take that they need to walk away with Curry, Calathes, or Rubio in next year’s draft. I will accept no substitutes :)
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by Stop-n-Pop on Aug 19, 2008 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Certainly an upgrade...
Not a fan of the 2nd gen uni’s, so this is an upgrade.
I still think the original is the best however.
by Auswolf on Aug 19, 2008 5:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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