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The New Orleans Pelicans have their inaugural uniforms.
Much like the team’s rebranded name, the tops are rich in Louisiana and New Orleans flare.
The state’s NBA franchise showed the world its new attire this week before a large crowd at a Thursday press conference.
The team will wear white tops with gold trim at home and blue tops with gold trim on the road. The sides of the uniforms will contain red, gold and blue streaks, and the team’s shorts will have a pelican on each leg.
Unlike most other teams, the word Pelican will not be displayed on any of the team’s uniforms.
Instead, the word New Orleans will be clad across the front of both the team’s home and away digs.
It will be spread across both jerseys on one line.
The Pelicans will be just one of three NBA teams to only feature the city on a uniform.
New Orleans owner Tom Benson said he is pleased with the way the uniforms came out, adding that the unveiling was a great day in the franchise’s young history.
Benson pointed to the team’s name Pelican and reiterated that the mascot was chosen as a symbol of the resiliency of the Louisiana people. He believes the jerseys add to that theme.
“When we found this name, we went down and the oil spill was going on,” Benson said. “So we went down there and the pelicans were there and they were surviving through this. So we said, ‘You know? Anything that can go through this would make for one great name.’”
Louisiana is heavily featured in the Pels’ new jerseys.
The dark blue that is featured on the team’s road jerseys and throughout the trimming is symbolic for the blue that is on Louisiana’s state flag.
The gold in the team’s uniforms is the same shade as that used by the New Orleans Saints – Benson’s other professional sports team.
“This unites the organization, while also celebrating the spirit and life of New Orleans,” Pelicans radio announcer Sean Kelley said.
The color red displays a fraternal bond and also marks the color under a pelican’s bill.
“And of course, all three colors are on the flag of the city of New Orleans,”Kelley said.
New Orleans players were on hand at the press conference to serve as runway models of the new digs.
Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Jrue Holiday and Jason Smith all posed for photos and strutted their stuff in the new uniforms.
Smith said he likes the uniforms and added that the uniform release has him “extra ready” for the upcoming season.
“I like the classic look,” Smith told the Pelicans’ website. “It really symbolizes the new emblem. I thought they did a nice job with the logo. They made it nice and classy. Now we’ve got to go out there and work and get ready for the season.”
Also on hand for the event was Rodney Richardson – the man who designed both the Pelicans’ logo and uniforms.
Richardson said when making the uniforms, he wanted to focus on a clean, classic look that took people away from the wild and raucous lifestyle that many people interpret with the city of New Orleans.
He believes this look does just that – portrays New Orleans in a positive, classy light.
“Anyone from New Orleans knows that there is a sensitivity here to the caricature that so many people outside the city have about the city and its people,” Richardson said. “The team’s identity needed to represent the people who are from here and live here – not only in the city, but in the entire Gulf South. … It needed to represent the true nature, simplicity, beauty and richness here.”
So with the uniforms unveiled, the Pelicans are pushing forward toward the new season.
With new players like Holiday and free agent signee Tyreke Evans on board, many people think the Pelicans are prime to make a postseason push.
Benson took that sentiment a step further.
He said the team has one goal – to win it all.
“There’s no reason why we can’t bring home a championship, eh?” Benson quipped. “Ain’t that right?”
New Orleans Pelicans players (from left) Jason Smith, Ryan Anderson, Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday show off the team’s new jerseys at an unveiling ceremony this past week. The Pelicans’ new uniforms were heavily inspired by various things found in the city of New Orleans.
