Power Ranking Every NBA Team's 2025-26 Jersey Rotation
It'll be great news for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers if the old "look good, play good" adage holds true. Less so for the New Orleans Pelicans or, for that matter, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Based on our rankings of all 30 teams' uniforms for the 2025-26 NBA season, the defending champs face an uphill battle—at least in the fashion department.
We'll factor in everything—color, style, nods to history and sheer vibes—as we organize all 30 squads on the strength of their jerseys.
30. New Orleans Pelicans
1 of 30
Because they've only been around since 2013-14, the New Orleans Pelicans don't have any real history to draw from for their jerseys. That's an especially big problem because they've never quite landed on a good look in modern times.
The blue, white, red and gold combination doesn't pop, and the gold is actually a little closer to tan, which sometimes blends right in with the hardwood. The red and blue Crescent City Statement editions are at least a little eye-catching, but the black and neon green City Editions are so plain that they look like practice jerseys.
This year's are essentially the same as the ones New Orleans debuted in 2023-24.
Even the font fails. It's somehow overly ornate without being interesting.
The Pels might want to consider going back to the Mardi Gras color scheme they used for their 2022-23 City Editions, and the 2020-21 City Editions that retained the red, white, blue and gold colors had an appealing, minimalist swag—complete with the fleur-de-lis icons everyone associates with New Orleans.
29. Oklahoma City Thunder
2 of 30
Few teams need a jersey overhaul worse than the Oklahoma City Thunder, who missed a golden opportunity to rebrand after last year's championship. What better time to update an abrasive color scheme and deeply boring design than after winning a title?
If feelings weren't involved, the Thunder could tap their Sonics legacy and embrace a yellow and green theme. Seattle fans already disavow the Thunder, though, and stealing the old colors might drive the wedge even deeper. That might feel out of place in Oklahoma City anyway, but almost anything would be better than the current bright blue with orange and yellow accents.
From the off-kilter blue lettering of the Statement jerseys (which are a ghastly orange) to the weird, over-engineered blue-on-blue City Editions, the Thunder don't have a single outfit that comes anywhere close to mediocre. They're all a mess.
At least the actual team is good.
28. Orlando Magic
3 of 30
The Orlando Magic made some significant changes to all of their jerseys for 2025-26. While they still adhere to the traditional pinstriped pattern and generally stick with the same colors the organization has always preferred, the result is a set of uniforms that give off serious pajama vibes.
Maybe it's the stars standing in for the letter "A" on all four variations, but you can't deny the feeling these looks inspire.
Orlando is likely to take a major step forward this season. It could finish among the top three in the East and might profile as a legitimate contender if the offense finally catches up to the defense.
Jammies are jammies, though. The Magic will take the floor looking like they're ready for a glass of warm milk and a story. Maybe they can sell nightcaps at the concession stands.
27. Toronto Raptors
4 of 30
The Raptors have to get away from the mountain-peak shape of their chest lettering. What was wrong with the more conventional arched shape they rocked in the late 2010s, including their 2019 title run?
To make matters worse, Toronto's 2025-26 Statement Edition (a re-hash of the 2021-22 look) has the same weird triangle-shaped lettering on a boring black background. The Raps even messed up one of their signature looks by utilizing the iconic dribbling dinosaur on their City Editions without sticking to the proper purple color.
That's right, the Raptors doubled down on black jerseys. That's peak laziness.
26. Brooklyn Nets
5 of 30
Early indications are that the Nets will trot out the familiar Coogi pattern for their City Edition jerseys this year, a nod to the brand's deep association with Brooklyn and the late Notorious B.I.G.
It's worth noting that the Nets ran into trouble when they debuted a very similar look in 2018, when they called it "Brooklyn Camo".
As long as the Nets don't get sued again, the City Edition will easily be their best look. Any pop of color is welcome.
The team's other jerseys will all stick with the standard black and white. The Association and Icon editions that say "Brooklyn" earn points for minimalism, but they also run pretty close to being boring. Having black as a primary color isn't all that much better than using it for an alternate.
The real laggard here is the Statement jersey, which says "Nets" on the chest in a block font that makes the whole thing look like a flea market knockoff.
25. Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Though a lot of our criticism comes for teams that try to do too much with their non-standard looks, the Cleveland Cavaliers lose points for not doing enough.
The black Statement jersey from last season will still be in the rotation, and its giant "C" with the number beneath it on the front is basically indistinguishable from an uninspired practice jersey. It just needs to be reversible, and there'd be no difference.
The white Association edition is fine, even if the letter "V" looking like a crude representation of a basket and a net feels juvenile. The Icon jersey brings in the wine color strongly, but that one, too, is almost too basic.
Cleveland is rumored to be bringing back a look LeBron James wore, but it's a dated design that unnecessarily detracts from the current era. The orange and yellow "The Land" City Editions are their own brand of creamsicle ugly, a major downgrade from last season's baby blue.
24. Atlanta Hawks
7 of 30
The Atlanta Hawks are going back to the Peachtree look for their City Edition jerseys this season, a solid choice that will help offset their otherwise standard black, white, red and yellow color scheme.
The peach accents are understated, but we like the less-is-more approach around here. The only real demerits for Atlanta stem from the fact that two of their four main jerseys have black as the primary color. Teams have been doing this for years, and it always feels a little lazy.
Of the main gear, the jerseys with "Atlanta" on the front have a cleaner look than the ones that say "Hawks." Those have always felt a little cartoonish.
23. Golden State Warriors
8 of 30
The Warriors have done well to stick with the blue and gold colors they readopted in 2010, ditching the horrendous rust, navy and yellow they tried in the late 90s and early 2000s as a way to note their proximity to the Golden Gate Bridge. May those lightning bolt-emblazoned monstrosities never again see the light of day.
The Dubs' designs tend to be a little busy, which makes their simpler Statement Edition kit welcome.
The major issue arising here is in the updated City Edition, which is definitely going to make everyone watching on TV this season think their picture has defaulted to sepia tones.
These things are beyond bland.
22. Milwaukee Bucks
9 of 30
The only notable update in Milwaukee (not named Myles Turner) is the return of the Cream City alternates, which debuted in 2019-20. They don't so much add a new color because that off-white has been a part of the scheme going back to 2015, but they feature it most prominently.
That feels like a missed opportunity.
The Bucks have tinkered with emphasizing a bright blue in their City Edition looks for the better part of a decade, and those have always the most aesthetic appeal. The ones they wore in 2023-24 and 2024-25 were personal favorites.
Now, the only blue we get is in small accents at the armpit on the Icon and Association jerseys. The horns along the ribcage of the Statement are a nice touch, but the black and creme contrast leaves a lot to be desired.
21. Washington Wizards
10 of 30
Jersey analysis is highly scientific and definitely not relative, so we can't credit the Washington Wizards for looking better today than they did when they rocked one of the absolute ugliest sets of jerseys in the league. Let us never speak of the blue, black and gold with the ridiculous font of the late 90s and early 2000s.
It should be a crime to own one of those.
The standard red, white and blue makes sense for a team based in DC, and the horizontal striping is a clear homage to the franchise's Bullets days. That said, the Association and Icon Editions seem outdated. Repurposing the design and turning it gold doesn't help much either, but that'll be the theme for this year's City Editions, which clearly call Gilbert Arenas to mind.
The only clear win here is the Statement look, which has three stars centered above "The District" and also deepens the blue to a more appealing navy. Washington might want to consider going with that as its main uniform in the future. It's the only one that really shines.
20. Indiana Pacers
11 of 30
The Pacers are shelving their bold City Edition jerseys of the last two years, and that decision is going to cause some controversy. The bright, paint-splattered alternates were among the most eye-catching in the league, but now Indy is throttling back by going with City Edition sets that look almost exactly like the ones they wore in 2021-22.
Maybe when you know you won't have Tyrese Haliburton or Myles Turner all season, it feels necessary to cut out celebratory vibes.
The Pacers will go with navy, white and gold for all four of their variations, with none really popping. Indiana's uniforms are fine, and at least they took the brave step of avoiding black. But this seems like a "blah" stylistic choice that captures the spirit of a mostly uninteresting gap year.
19. Utah Jazz
12 of 30
The Utah Jazz are nodding back to the late stages of the Stockton-Malone era by choosing updated white and purple, mountain-emblazoned kit for their Association and Icon jerseys. No criticism of that move here; they look better and feel much more "Jazz" than the black, white and yellow they've been tinkering with for the last couple of seasons.
Unfortunately, Utah is also turning to black for its other two jersey options, with the monotone City and Statement Editions rating as pathetically plain.
18. Charlotte Hornets
13 of 30
The internet says mints played a big part in Charlotte's history. If you really want to stretch it, you can also partially explain the Hornets' new gold City Edition jerseys in a similar vein to the UNC Charlotte 49ers, whose name nods to the year the university avoided being shut down (1949) but was also billed as a reflection of the pioneering spirit that led many Carolinians to travel across the country during the California gold rush of 1849.
What does any of that have to do with LaMelo Ball slinging cross-court passes to Brandon Miller? Very little, but we have to credit the Hornets for digging deep in a search for jersey inspiration.
Charlotte has always stood out with its extremely 1990s teal and purple color scheme, and last year's pivot to mint for the City Edition jerseys was, while polarizing, a win in my eyes. Mint is like teal, but cooler.
The move to gold doesn't seem quite right. It's a long way behind the basic white and teal pinstripe duds, and it's not nearly as interesting as mint.
17. Dallas Mavericks
14 of 30
The Mavs don't have a bad jersey, but they also don't really have a great one either. The Association and Icon jerseys feature the team's standard blue and white color scheme. They're both clean looks with a mildly futuristic font, and the multiple hues of blue offer clean accents to a pretty sleek overall look.
Neither of those are head-turners, and the new black City Editions fall into the same category. The diagonal striping on the sides is just odd, and the rounded edges don't quite work with an otherwise sharper-edged, squared-off theme. In fact, they kind of look like exposed rib cages, which is just weird.
The top options are Dallas' deep navy Statement jerseys, as worn by Cooper Flagg above. We love crisp white and a dark contrasting color, and these fit that bill.
The brighter green and looping throwback block script of the Mavericks' Classic Edition stands out starkly and earns points for hearkening back to the days when the franchise was among the most moribund in the league. That wasn't a great era for Mavs basketball, but the uniforms were worth resuscitating.
16. San Antonio Spurs
15 of 30
Gregg Popovich's tenure established a no-nonsense, ego-free era that made a black, white and silver color palette perfectly on-brand. Who needs colors? We're about work and winning.
That image contrasts sharply with San Antonio's wild days in the ABA, which is where the fiesta scheme adds a pop of color and a dash of history.
If anything, the Spurs should lean harder into the pastel rainbow stripe and script font they'll feature on this season's City Edition. Set against their otherwise bland Icon, Association and Statement looks, that one stands out strongly.
Bonus points for using an actual spur as the letter "U" and for sticking pretty closely to past precedent on their standard uniforms. Few teams have been creative enough to add a little style to their lettering, and the extra touch feels especially necessary on otherwise frill-free duds.
15. Philadelphia 76ers
16 of 30
Call me a traditionalist, but I prefer either entire words or the standard three-letter abbreviation when it comes to team or city names on jerseys. That's why the Philadelphia 76ers' "PHILA" branding has always felt a little clunky.
Yes, it's a callback to the uniforms the franchise wore throughout most of the 1960s, but it's not an upgrade on "Sixers".
Three of 76ers' five looks this season will feature that too-long abbreviation, but the good news is that the very slick red, white and navy City Editions will have the entire word in a white script above the number. That minimalism contrasts nicely with the much more ornate Classic Edition, which Sixers fans will immediately associate with Matt Geiger and the early 2000s.
Or Allen Iverson. To each his own.
The 76ers' standards are middle-of-the-road, even if they're dragged down a little by the PHILA of it all. Their other looks get the mix of modernization and throwback just right.
14. Houston Rockets
17 of 30
The Dunkstronaut will return in 2025-26. Not Jalen Green, of course; the Houston Rockets traded him in the Kevin Durant deal. But the generally well-liked H-Town City Editions the Rockets wore in 2023-24.
These red, white and blue jerseys have the script-style lettering on the chest, a welcome return to form after last season's blocky, red-and-black update. best of all, the shorts feature the dunking astronaut on the left side and vertical "Rockets" lettering on the right.
We've got stars speckled on the trunks as well, creating something like 1960s, space-obsessed whimsy—even if the Rockets were in San Diego in the 60s and wore yellow and green uniforms.
The basics are just that: basic. Houston will stick with its usual red and white colors for its Association and Icon editions, while its Statement jersey just substitutes black for red.
13. Detroit Pistons
18 of 30
Detroit's red, white and blue mainstays stick with the color scheme from the franchise's two most memorable eras: the 1980s and early 2000s. While the modernized font sets the Association and Icon jerseys apart from the team's Bad Boy days, it's actually very similar to the one used when Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace were leading runs to the Finals.
There's history in those jerseys.
The Pistons' other outfits aren't on the same level. The black Statement Edition with the giant "DET" across the chest and huge red and blue stripes just doesn't stand out, but it's better than the new City Edition.
Nobody wanted that 90s teal to reappear, but the Pistons are going with it. At least there's not a gaudy, cartoonish horse on the chest this time. Although the weird triangles on the shorts are almost as bad.
12. Los Angeles Lakers
19 of 30
Three out of four isn't bad, but the one jersey iteration the Los Angeles Lakers got wrong really hurts their overall ranking.
The standards will persist: Los Angeles is sticking with the same classic "Lakers" mark—the one where the lower parts of the "L" and "R" dip beneath the letters that follow them.
Aside from tiny tweaks to the piping and side panels, they're basically what the Lakers have worn since the 1970s. The gold version, aka the Icon Edition, has always been the sharpest. The Statement is new this year.
The City Edition is a travesty. With a black base hurting the overall look from the outset, the Lakers are also doing that weird pyramid thing with "Los Angeles" on the front. The player number is jammed in below that, but because more is more, we also get "Lakers" beneath the numerals—all in a boring font that conjures no feelings you'd associate with the team or the city. This look should have died after the last time the Lakers used it in 2023-24.
The only way to make these 2023-24 retreads worse would be to put sleeves on them.
11. LA Clippers
20 of 30
Orange may seem like a bizarre color for the traditionally red, white and blue LA Clippers, but this season's City Edition jerseys are an homage to the team's Buffalo Braves lineage.
They're also very similar to the ones LA wore in 2018-19, so the look isn't completely out of left field.
Though not particularly showy, the Clips' basic home and away look is clean, simple and pleasing to the eye. Navy, white and red work well together, and the script "Clippers" that ascends diagonally across the chest is just stylized enough to give it character.
The primarily red Statement Editions swap out "Clippers" for "Los Angeles" in a similar font, but the sides come with various nautical flags that offer a little change without overdoing it.
Solid all around, and bonus points for going completely away from the normal color scheme on the City Edition.
10. Miami Heat
21 of 30
The Miami Heat's City Editions jerseys might be the best in the entire league. The black background makes the neon pink and blue highlights pop, and the overall color combo perfectly captures the iconic 80s era of the city.
That's pretty much where the inventiveness and fashion-forward thinking stops, though, as the rest of the Heat's gear isn't anything special.
The Association, Statement and Icon jerseys feature a basic red-orange-black-white scheme that conjures a fiery theme, which works for a team called the Heat. But all three of those looks feel like they need an update, as they've gone without major changes for 25 years. We've praised continuity for teams like the Celtics and Bulls, but the Heat's look was never as good as those teams' to start with.
9. Boston Celtics
22 of 30
The Boston Celtics deserve credit for sticking to the minimalist design with their standard uniforms. You can't really improve on the classic, no-frills green and white the team has used for decades. The white Association edition is as crisp as it gets, and the "Celtics" emblazoned on the front looks just as good as "Boston" on the green Icon jerseys.
The trouble starts with this season's City Edition, a call back to the white and gold 2017-18 look that never really worked. At least there's a parquet pattern as a nod to the Celtics' well-known home floor. Ditching the neon green also helps.
The main note here would be to stick to green and white. Boston is among the most storied franchises in the league and doesn't need to get creative with its color schemes. The black and green Statement jersey is fine but, as is the case with most like it, feels a little boring.
Boston only ranks this high on the strength of its classic originals.
8. Sacramento Kings
23 of 30
Nobody does purple better than the Sacramento Kings, who have the added benefit of the color actually making sense for their branding. Purple has always been associated with royalty. Spare the jokes about the Kings performing in a very non-regal manner over most of the last 20 years; this is about uniforms.
In years past, Sacramento has incorporated a red, white and blue alternate to honor their itinerant roots in Rochester, Cincinnati and Kansas City. They ditched the old "Royals" name in 1972 and pivoted to purple, black and white in 1994.
This year's Association and Icon jerseys are the same as they've been since 2023, which isn't a problem because they're bold but simple enough as not to be showy.
If there's a knock to be delivered, it's that the City Edition and Statement iterations aren't all that different in terms of color scheme. But the purple just works, and at least the Statement has the checkerboard side paneling that calls back to the mid-90s. In the end, all four options are distinctive and well-designed.
7. Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
As long as the Suns made sure to bring back the black Valley jerseys that debuted in 2020, they were going to do just fine in these rankings. They are, however, testing our patience with what looks like a duller than dull black-on-black Statement Edition.
Here's hoping Phoenix at least adds some orange or purple piping to spice things up. Plain old black and white doesn't really work in Brooklyn, and it certainly wouldn't make sense for a team defined by bright colors.
The basics are strong here, as the sunburst design on the Association and Icon editions providing a unique look that's just cartoonish enough without looking juvenile.
6. New York Knicks
25 of 30
Outside of the rare missteps, like the green St. Patrick's Day jerseys or the weird floating lettering of the last two years' worth of City Editions, the New York Knicks have done well to adopt an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to their uniforms.
Nobody else has the same signature blue and orange tones, and the Knicks have basically stuck to that combination for 70 years. It's theirs, they own it and it's immediately identifiable. Maybe that's a good endorsement of the idea that simplicity, if sustained over a long period of time, is often the best way to go.
This season's City Editions aren't all that different from New York's traditional kit, with a little more detail on the sides and some color-fading between blue and orange on the shorts.
The Knicks don't get outside the box much, but that actually serves them well.
5. Denver Nuggets
26 of 30
Is "rainbow" technically a color scheme? Maybe not, but the Denver Nuggets know how to use it in their logo, and they're doing it well enough to totally negate the use of black as a primary color.
While the 2018-19 white "Rainbow Skyline" City Edition jerseys are among the absolute best any team has worn in years, the updated black version for 2025-26 still pops. And it's definitely an upgrade from the "5280" look Denver tried in between.
The originals debuted in 1982, and the Nuggets kept them around with a few tweaks until 1993, when the totally unappealing navy-maroon-gold trio took over.
Denver's basic uniforms are wildly uninteresting, and the lighter blue of the Mile High City Statement Editions also fails to inspire.
On the strength of the Rainbow Skyline alone, though, the Nuggets have to earn a high ranking. Those things are perfect.
4. Chicago Bulls
27 of 30
Though they might frustrate fans by chasing mediocrity on the floor, the Chicago Bulls are anything but ordinary when it comes to their attire.
The standard white and red kit are right up there with the Boston Celtics in terms of simple, understated excellence. Chicago's style is a testament to the idea that you don't have to redesign uniforms and tweak color schemes every five years to sell more merch. There's greater value in establishing an identity and sticking with it.
While we'd normally ding the Bulls for going with black as the base for their Statement and City Edition threads, they get an exception because they were such early adopters. Chicago will again go with the pinstriped black look that Michael Jordan wore back in the mid and late-90s as its Statement jersey, and it'll add light blue accents with a script "Chicago" on the chest in its City Edition.
There's nothing to knock here, unless you want to pick nits and argue the font is too small on the City Edition. Even that offers a nice contrast to the oversized lettering of the other three.
3. Memphis Grizzlies
28 of 30
Hot take: The Grizzlies, whether in Memphis or Vancouver, have never really had a bad jersey. Even when they've been a little silly, like they were in the early, heavily-patterned Vancouver days, the Grizzlies' outfits have always been creative and interesting.
In addition to their traditional blue standards this season, the Grizz will throw it all the way back to the early 2000s. You'll immediately think of a young Pau Gasol when you see Memphis take the floor in the threads they sported upon moving to Memphis.
Better still, the new City Editions include a fresh white design with vertical stripes, a vertical band with various designs on the left side and a busy collar that nods to the original Vancouver look. This even has an all-lowercase script, which sets it apart.
Memphis just gets things right. From the fonts to historical shout-outs to the basics of navy, light blue and white, the Grizzlies rarely miss.
2. Portland Trail Blazers
29 of 30
The Portland Trail Blazers have long featured some of the cleanest looks in the league, and they even get away with using black as a primary color because it's been in the mix since the late 1970s.
The Association and Icon editions include the signature diagonal stripe from the right chest down to the left hip. Though it's the only real design element of Portland's standard kit, it's bold and bright enough to get the job done.
The bright red Statement jersey with the iconic pinwheel deserves a chef's kiss. It centers the logo right up top and adds some black striping to the sides for some extra sharpness.
Things get a little wild with the return to black and teal for the City Edition, which the Blazers debuted in 2022. The "PDX" across the chest looks appropriately odd, but the diagonal stripe grounds the whole look, linking it to the standard uniforms.
Great stuff by the Blazers all around.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
30 of 30
The Minnesota Timberwolves do not miss when it comes to their jerseys, unless you're not a fan of neon green.
Other than those mildly ill-conceived but still at least interesting City Editions they wore from 2020 to 2022, the Wolves have run away with the NBA fashion crown. Though perhaps controversial to say, I even liked the color-fade effect they used on their blue and white City Editions in 2023 and 2024.
This season, Minnesota is bringing back a pair of all-timers in the Prince-inspired purple-on-purple City Edition and the KG-era throwbacks with the trees around the collar and arms.
Even the Wolves' basics stand out. The white Association and blue Icon editions are clean and simple with a block font that fits perfectly. The horizontal color bar above "Minnesota" is a touch almost no other team has added, and it carries into the dark gray and green Statement jerseys which also absolutely rule.
This is a 10 out of 10 set of jerseys. No notes.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
.jpg?w=480 "Sports Betting Arrests Basketball")
