Teams unveil new uniforms in historic day for WNBA fashion and history
Yesterday was an amazing day for the WNBA, with the release of three new jerseys for each team, headlined by the Rebel Edition uniforms. Yesterday was also a terrible day for my bank account, as it is already anticipating the numerous withdrawals that will be made as I, like every other fan, prepare to get my hands on the new merch.
Perhaps the biggest improvement from a practical gameplay stand point is that, unlike the past few years, the jerseys once again have numbers on the front. It makes for a better viewing experience and is significantly less awkward for referees when quickly determining who a foul was on.
Besides how amazing the jerseys look, the designs themselves are meaningful, and speak to the history of the league, the cities, and the empowerment of women across the country. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the fits getting the most hype.
Rebel Edition
If you are a fan of the NBA, these uniforms might remind you of the City jerseys repped by the men’s league that pay homage to team location while also looking fresh on the court. The WNBA stepped it up a notch.
It is impossible to do a full breakdown of just how incredible every detail of these jerseys are, but I will start with the Washington Mystics.
Our REBEL EDITION colorway takes inspiration from the @womensmarch.
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) April 8, 2021
The 2017 Women’s Marches were the largest single day protest in world history.
See how this historic moment and others echo through our REBEL EDITION uniform >> https://t.co/QaxVYytdDI#RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/RnqQqUb71w
Incorporating the color scheme from the monumental Women’s marches while also including an inscription of the 19th amendment, does it get more badass than that? Coming from the Nation’s capitol, it is a powerful message and an incredibly well-done design.
My personal (and heavily biased) favorite is the Connecticut Sun.
The details tell our story. Introducing the Rebel Edition. pic.twitter.com/quLsAkDfaz
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) April 8, 2021
The team plays their home games at Mohegan Sun, a casino and resort owned and operated by the Mohegan tribe, a Native American group that has resided in Connecticut for hundreds of years. This uniform reflects the culture of the Mohegan people, designed and influenced by members of the tribe, with the front Keesusk text translating to daytime (sun) in the Algonquian language.
It is a powerful reminder of the history of the Sun franchise, as well as the specific women who have paved the way for social justice both within basketball and for indigenous peoples.
Explorer Edition
While these 12 jerseys may not have a meaningful backstory, they are equally fashionable in every sense of the word. The Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks stole the show with these renditions in my opinion, with classic looks that will surely become wardrobe staples.
Introducing the Explorer Uniform, a combination of our core colors, purple and orange. It’s the only gradient uniform in the league, representing our home in The Valley, the only place skies and sunsets like this exist.
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) April 8, 2021
𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝. 🧵#GoSparks | @nikebasketball pic.twitter.com/BHyO1sOI0k
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) April 8, 2021
The Arizona sunset and palm tree L are just prefect aesthetically and as a representation of the franchise’s identity.
Lastly are the Heroine Edition jerseys, which are fairly similar for each team in that they are all white and all look incredibly clean. Overall, the fan and league reaction from these reveals indicates the most successful jersey drop in sports history, so thank you to the WNBA and Nike for making it happen.