Orlando Magic will wear “Stars” alternate jersey for 2016-17 season

The Orlando Magic are already in possession of one of the least-appealing jerseys in the NBA — their sleeved gray alternates are probably better suited as a flashy pajama outfit than as a basketball uniform. However, the team may have “topped” those gray alts with their latest offering in the alternate jersey department.

The Magic have officially announced that they are adding an alternate jersey to their rotation, and although it isn’t sleeved, it’s definitely a wild-looking jersey. I hope you’re sitting down for this one:

My initial reaction was to look at the calendar and make sure that I didn’t go back four months in time to April Fools’ Day. My second reaction was that this looks like something that a sports team in the ’90s would wear as a special “Turn Ahead the Clock” uniform, except for the fact that the “prediction” actually turned out to be true.

Here’s the Magic’s explanation for the new uniform:

The “star” of the new jersey remains the ball swoosh placed front and center, serving as the focal point. Along the hem of the shorts, the iconic star also makes a return to the uniform. The jersey and the stars represent teamwork, tradition and toughness – the pillars of the past and the fight of the future.
The uniforms were developed through a collaborative effort between the team, the NBA and adidas. The uniform pays homage to the Magic’s iconic stars that have been part of the team’s logo lineage, representing the team’s tradition and rich history. The stars were originally featured prominently as replacements for the letter “a” in both “Orlando” and “Magic” within the team’s first logo in 1989. The stars have remained a part of the Magic’s logo throughout the years, including the team’s logo changes in 2000 and 2010.

Here’s proof that the jersey actually exists!

I don’t really have anything else to say, other than the fact that this might be one of the uglier uniforms to come down the NBA’s uniform pike, and it’s not even a sleeved uniform! This is truly an incredible moment in the history of NBA uniforms, and it will only be topped when the Magic actually take to the court wearing these special garments.