A collective gasp went out on Tuesday night when a social media teaser was posted. That turned into an ignition of collective cheering when, on Wednesday, September 24, the announcement was made of the official homecoming of the infamous tree uniforms for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Last seen on Derrick Rose during his Halloween night 50-piece in 2018, a season that everyone tries so hard to forget outside of that very moment, the throwback uniforms are back in official fashion with the organization in a markedly better place.
Not only are the uniforms back, but to complement them will be the same floor design that the Wolves went to the Western Conference Finals on in 2003-04.
Typically, I don’t get too far into uniform chatter. Especially in the NBA, where no kit seems to last more than a couple of seasons, I’ve never engaged too much with the league-wide uniform banter for each team.
However, this time, it matters.
Not just because the inception of the franchise through the 2000s marked one of the best uniform runs in all of sports, but frankly, I cannot stand the current combinations. They remind me of all uniform re-designs of the mid-2010s; an attempt at a modern look void of style, personality, and a real identity, mirrored both in the floor and the transient rosters that came and went throughout the whole era in which they’ve existed. The Jimmy Butler saga, the COVID-19 pandemic, Juancho Hernangomez getting 7 million dollars a year, and dysfunction tied with scandal in between.
Whether these tree uniforms, the extremely well done throwbacks from two years ago with an identically beautiful floor to go with them, or even the city edition jerseys of the last 4 years. All of them have done the job of giving a different aesthetic to a team that deserves not to be even remotely linked to the aforementioned drama and dysfunction absorbed in the current main kits. While that’s part of the reason fans may have been clamoring for them so badly, it additionally serves as a through line from this version of the organization to some of the golden years with Flip Saunders at the helm.
Reminder: this comes from someone who does not typically care.
The Wolves will wear them for a total of 28 games this season, including 21 at home, over half of their games at Target Center.
The number 21 stands out as a possible easter egg given how long the fans have waited for a certain number 21 jersey to be raised into the rafters.
New floor? Trees back? Theater lighting? Works for me. Assuming it probably works for you, too.