A look at the average Hornets uniforms

The new Charlotte Hornets uniforms are a bit like the Phoenix Suns’ unis in that they are close to being great, but are ultimately mediocre due to a few problems.



The Hornets' new home uniform

The numbers are too big. It wouldn’t be such an issue if the font wasn’t so unattractively funky and the colours weren’t so flashy, which combine for a sci-fi look. The jersey front in particular is overwhelmed by the numbers. White numbers on the road and alternate unis would’ve quietened them down.

The clean right side is a good look and the striping on the left is ok. To say the asymmetry “makes the uniform unique” is a stretch though.

The waistband logo is acceptable but unnecessary. There are three different non-primary logos on the three uniforms combined, which is excessive. The word mark on the shorts is unsightly and takes away from the simplicity of the right side.



The collars are the strength of the uniforms, with the stripe making them particularly sharp. They’re bold, but not excessively so. The overlap style is similar to that on the original Hornets uniforms, which is a link to the past that doesn’t seem forced.

Designating the teal uniform as the alternate is a concern. The Hornets noted they can wear it “a total of 16-20 times per season, whether at home or on the road”, which suggests excessive use of the alternate is imminent. Being able to wear the popular teal at home more often is a logical argument in support of this move, but ultimately seems like a stretch. It’s not as though a teal uniform is any less legitimate if only worn on the road, or that there won’t be plenty of teal on display at home games without teal uniforms.

These new uniforms came out the way the new logos and word marks, which were released late last year, suggested they would – too charmless, but adequate overall. They are, it’s worth noting, superior to what the Bobcats wore in 2013-14.