Vintage Throwback New York Knicks Jerseys
The New York Knickerbockers, or Knicks, are one of the league's only three founding teams left.
The uniforms worn by the Knicks have been consistent throughout their lengthy history, consisting mostly of four designs, though there are variations for most of the styles. Orange and blue have been the team's colors from the beginning of the franchise.
The first Knicks jerseys were plain white with blue lettering and orange borders. To complement the home whites, the first road jersey had orange lettering and orange stripes on a blue jersey.
The 1952-53 Knicks, now members of the NBA following the merger of BAA and NBL in 1949, used the same font and color scheme on their home and away jerseys. However, instead of solid orange borders, they used blue and orange squares. In 1996-97, the Knicks wore the design as a throwback in celebration of the NBA's 50th anniversary, and they wore it again in 2015-16. Unlike the throwback versions, the original jerseys did not have player names on the back.
New uniforms with stripes were worn from '52 to '61.
From 1961 to 1968, the Knicks wore a different jersey, this time in orange and blue, with a blue and orange stripe under each armhole. On the road uniform, white text appeared in orange outline. Additionally, the pants featured a triangular design and were the first uniform to include a logo.
During the 1968 season, the Knicks were experiencing an upswing. The 1964 draftee, Willis Reed, led the team to two NBA Championships along with Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, and others. In 1970, the footage of Reed limping onto the court during the finals became one of the most iconic in NBA history, still being shown on Knicks broadcasts to this day.
The Knicks introduced new jerseys in 1969, and the design debuted that season would later become the iconic Knicks jersey. After a brief hiatus in the early 1980s and again in the 2000s, the Knicks have returned to wearing the same basic design. In those days, the blue jersey was noticeably darker.
In 1978, the Knicks basketball team added the New York lettering to the leg of their uniforms. Then, in '79, the Knicks introduced a new jersey design that marked the biggest departure from the norm for the team for years to come.
These newly designed jerseys featured an entirely different font, darker blue, and the team name under the number for the first time in Knicks history. These jerseys would last only three seasons. The Knicks have worn the throwback design in the lighter blue that the team currently wears.
The seasons of 1983–84 marked the return of the Knicks' traditional design, with the addition of the number repeated on the right leg of the jersey. These jerseys were identical to those worn in '78, with the New York logo embroidered on the leg, and were worn from '78 to '91.
Many iconic Knicks players sported these jerseys, including Charles Oakley, Patrick Ewing, Earnie Grunfeld, Paul Westphal, and more. Check out the great Knicks stars that we offer in two of their traditional jersey styles.