NBA Power Rankings: Who Has the Best Old-School Uniforms?

The move by the NBA and other sports leagues to incorporate retro jerseys into the regular rotation has been a lot of fun. It's easy to forget the older designs and color schemes.

Some of the classic designs make us wonder what anyone was thinking in drawing them up. Most NBA uniforms from the 90s were awful. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors gave us some of the worst in that time.

It's hard to believe that the Raptors introduced their red and purple logo and Isiah Thomas as general manager at the same time. That day is not remembered fondly.

For as many retched uniforms that the NBA has produced, there are just as many terrific ones.

Here are 15 of the best classic NBA uniforms.

Honorable Mention: Boston Celtics

There hasn't been much change to the Boston Celtics' uniforms over the year. Why would there be?

There are few uniforms—if any—in all of sports that are more recognizable than Boston's green and white ensemble.

The shorts have gotten longer and the names are always changing on the back, but that's about all the major changes worth making to these.

15. Minneapolis Lakers: 1949-1957

Ahhhh simplicity. It's been lost on the NBA for many years. Finally, teams are trending back that way with simpler color schemes and logos.

But does it get more simple than the Minneapolis Lakers uniform? George Mikan didn't even have his name on the jersey. There is no striping, no logo, just an abbreviation of Minneapolis and a player's number.

It might be just a bit too simple.

14. Philadephia 76ers: 1978-1991

This uniform is so good that the 76ers brought back a near-identical design in 2009. I love that it just says "Sixers" across the front. The "76ers" logo on the shorts adds some flair to an otherwise basic design.

The best part of the uniform is the shorts. The waistband width is perfect, and the bottom-striping brings it together.

13. Dallas Mavericks: 1981-1992

Dallas used these uniforms on the road for over a decade. More than anything, I love the green. Using blue—the team's main color—would have been the same old pattern of most teams.

Using the team's secondary color is original. I'm glad to see the Mavericks using this color scheme some today, even if they have replaced "DALLAS" with "Mavs".

12. Spirits of St. Louis: 1974-1976

More than anything, the Spirits of St. Louis get the nod for the unorthodox wording of their name. It's always the city first and then the nickname. Flipping the order every once in a while isn't a bad idea.

The plane sweeping underneath is a creative way to incorporate the team logo. The shorts aren't pictured here. They were red with the same striping as the jersey. It completes the uniform nicely.

11. Chicago Bulls: 1973-1985

The script Chicago ascending to the right is a classy mix-up to block letters in a rainbow or straight across form. Off-setting the numbers helps make the "Chicago" stand out.

The striping on the shorts is also unique. The top stripe doesn't completely circumvent the legs, and the bottom stripe blends into design on the sides.

This uniform has a lot going on, but it isn't too much. Great unit.

10. Portland Trail Blazers: Late 1970s

The Portland Trail Blazers used several designs in the late 1970s, and most of them were terrific.

First of all, they used all lowercase lettering for the name. Then they scripted it vertically and put the numbers to the side. Piping on only one leg of the shorts also adds originality.

But put Bill Walton in any uniform in this era, and it ends up a winner.

9. New York Knicks: 1979-1983

New York, you were so close to the perfect uniform. Major props for putting the numbers above the city. Great uses of the "NY" decal on the shorts on one leg and the number on the other. The striping is perfect. Notice how there is just a little blue under the bottom striping on the shorts.

But there is one major problem that keeps this from being a top five uniform. Why are the numbers on the jersey a different color than the numbers on the shorts? The text on both pieces remains the same color.

It came so close to being brilliant, but it's still very good.

8. Seattle Super Sonics: 1985-1995

Why is there such a shortage of short decals in the NBA these days? It's just that simple something extra that can pull together any uniform.

Seattle did a smart thing by running a stripe through the jersey as a template for the team name. Seattle also did a fine job picking a color scheme that was unique but not over the top.

If only Toronto would have taken some notes when it was picking the color scheme for the Raptors, we could have been saved from that travesty of a uniform they introduced.

7. Capital Bullets: 1973

For one season, the Washington Bullets moved to Landover, Md. to be the Capital Bullets—or the Captial bullets, I suppose.

They went with a lowercase name with the broad stripes up top. The Bullets made the look their own. Adding the stars on the shorts was a nice touch.

I really miss matching calf socks. Of course, it might look a little ridiculous with today's long shorts.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: 1974-1981

This was the away ensemble, which is just slightly less awesome than the home unit which used the yellow as the main color. Marquette University still uses similar alternating colors in the sleeve striping. Why more don't is lost on me.

Bringing this design back on occasion was a very intelligent move by Cleveland. If they can transition to full-time use of this—or at least use of a new design inspired by this one—would improve the franchise's look.

5. Sacramento Kings: 1985-1990

The craziest part of this uniform is that the powder blue was not incorporated at all in the home uniform. But for some reason, it was the main part of the road duds. The Kings should have found a way to use the powder blue in the home unis.

The ascending script Kings combined with the off-set numbers works well here as it did for Chicago. The white number pops with the red outlining.

4. New Jersey Nets: 1977-1990

It's all about the stars up the side. And the best part about the stars is that they are up only one side.

There isn't a much better sight than Julius Erving in that uniform sailing toward the hoop, color coordinated from his shoes all the way to the ABA's ball. 

Even the knee pads match.

3. Atlanta Hawks: 1970-1972

It's inexplicable that Atlanta only kept these uniforms for two seasons. They actually wore a white version at home and the blues away with the green version used as an alternate.

The color scheme was cutting edge. The swooping stripe from the left shoulder across the chest and down the right side gives the uniform something different.

And on the shorts? "Hawks". Well done.

2. Cincinnati Royals: 1971-1972

It's a shame that this uniform only lasted one season. It's all about the striping down the left side of the jersey.

The vertical "Royals" sandwiched by red stripes and then on blue stripe on the far left is simple but attractive.

There is something so eye-catching about simple uniforms. This one is right at the top.

1. Golden State Warriors: 1975-1984

The best move that the Golden State Warriors have made in a long time was reverting to their old uniform design this season. They made enough changes to ensure originality but also brought back enough of the classic look.

The reliance on the team's main colors, blue and gold, is what makes this uniform so great. There isn't a heavy use of white but still enough to accent the rest effectively.

Using an outline of California and mapping Oakland with a star was a great way to include the home town and overcome a misapplied nickname.