Lakers’ switch from black uniforms mandated by NBA, source says،
It turns out the Los Angeles Lakers won't be back in black.
The Lakers clinched a trip to Las Vegas and a spot in the semifinals of the NBA season's inaugural tournament with a 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, while wearing their black “city edition” alternate uniforms.
The jersey aesthetic has been a hit with the players, and LA is undefeated in black uniforms so far, throughout the season's tournaments. The Lakers went 3-0 in two group games against the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz, as well as the quarterfinal victory against the Suns, donning the dark colors.
While Lakers players would prefer to continue wearing their black kits against the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinals, sources told ESPN, the NBA has other plans.
The Lakers are expected to wear their gold “icon” jerseys, according to their uniform schedule on the team's website, which lists planned colorways for each Los Angeles game through the end of the regular season. The Pelicans will wear their white “association” uniform.
The NBA is preventing the Lakers from wearing their black uniforms due to concerns about the visual contrast between the jerseys and the design of the in-season specialty court on which the semifinals will be played at T-Mobile Arena, a source with knowledge of the matter said. told ESPN.
When a Lakers player was informed that the team would not be allowed to wear black on Thursday, he responded, “That's bullshit.”
Lakers players have adopted a look that goes beyond the uniforms. Rui Hachimura, returning from a five-game absence due to a broken nose, wore a black protective mask against the Suns. And LeBron James wore an all-black outfit — complete with thick black Louis Vuitton sunglasses — into the arena for the game.
James' teams have a history of success in black alternate uniforms. His Lakers went 4-1 in the NBA bubble during the 2020 playoffs en route to winning the title while wearing “Black Mamba” uniforms in honor of Kobe Bryant, who died earlier that year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers also started and finished their 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals in black, carrying the alternatives for road victories in Game 5 and the winner of Game 7 at the Oracle Arena.
While the wardrobe selection may seem trivial, James — a die-hard fan of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders — takes the former NFL star's thoughts on fashion to heart.
“He has the old adage that, 'When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you play good. And when you play good, they pay well,'” James told ESPN when asked about Sanders during Lakers training camp. in October. “I mean, I feel like it was instilled in me since I was a kid.”
With a $500,000 per player cash prize on the line for the season tournament winners this weekend, it's understandable that the good part of that maxim might mean a little more to the Lakers right now .
