Ayrton Oneill
In basketball, the home team typically wears lighter-coloured jerseys, while the visiting team wears darker colours. This tradition dates back to the era of black-and-white television, when viewers needed a way to visually distinguish the two teams. White jerseys were also easier to keep clean during long trips, and they made players look more physically intimidating to their opponents. While the National Basketball Association (NBA) previously designated “home” and “away” uniforms, they eliminated these labels before the 2017-18 season. Now, the home team can choose any uniform colour, while the visiting team wears a contrasting colour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Typical colour | White |
| Other colours | Yellow, lavender, orange |
| Player's name | On the back |
| Player's number | On the back |
| Social justice messages | "Black Lives Matter", "I Can't Breathe", "Equality", etc. |
| Style | Sleeveless, short-sleeve, long-sleeve, baggy, tight, etc. |
| Length | Medium-length shorts |
| Material | Polyester, nylon, wicking material |
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What You'll Learn
History of white home jerseys
The use of white home jerseys in basketball dates back to the era of black-and-white television, when it was necessary for viewers to be able to distinguish between the two teams. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), home uniforms were traditionally white or yellow, while visiting teams wore darker colours. This convention was not limited to basketball, but was common across many sports.
In the past, the choice of jersey was simple: the home team wore white, and the away team wore a darker colour. However, in recent years, this has become more complex, with teams introducing alternate jerseys and annual city edition jerseys with no set colour scheme. The NBA itself has modernised, moving from a spreadsheet system to a digital database where teams log their uniform decisions.
There are several theories as to why white was chosen as the home jersey colour. One is that white jerseys increase home-court advantage by making players look more physically intimidating to their opponents. Another is that, historically, NBA arenas were lit by gas lamps, which created a thick haze in the upper sections of the arena, so the home team wore white to make them easier for fans to track. A third theory is that keeping white jerseys clean is easier at home, where they can be washed.
In recent years, the use of white home jerseys has declined. Teams rarely choose to wear white anymore, instead opting for their official team colours. The NBA's four-uniform system now includes a range of options: the Association (white jersey), the Icon (dark jersey), the Statement (alternate jersey), and the City Edition (changing annually with no set colour scheme).
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Home jersey colour rules
The home jersey colour rules in basketball have evolved over the years, with the sport's early days seeing players compete in a variety of athletic attire, from tracksuits to football uniforms. By the 1900s, the first official basketball uniforms were introduced, featuring knee-length padded pants or shorter pants, along with suggested jerseys with either quarter-length sleeves or a sleeveless design.
In the 20th century, Major League Baseball clubs began a trend of wearing dark colours on the road and white jerseys at home. This influenced the younger sport of basketball, which adopted a similar custom. Traditionally, the home team in basketball would wear light-coloured uniforms, preferably white, while the visiting team would wear darker colours. This convention was in place to easily distinguish the teams, especially during the black-and-white television era.
However, starting with the 2017-18 season, the National Basketball Association (NBA) eliminated the "home" and "away" uniform designations. The home team was granted the flexibility to choose any uniform colour, while the visiting team was required to wear a jersey of sufficient contrast, which could be white, yellow, or another darker shade. The NBA renamed the lighter-coloured jerseys as "Association" uniforms and the darker ones as "Icon" uniforms.
It is worth noting that different basketball leagues and competitions may have their own specifications for uniform colours. For example, in the National Football League (NFL), teams' home uniforms must be either white or their official team colour, with the visiting clubs wearing the opposite. Some leagues and competitions may mandate that away teams always wear alternative kits, while others allow away teams to wear their primary kit as long as there is sufficient contrast with the home team's colours.
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Home jersey social justice messages
In the NBA, the home team typically wears light-colored jerseys, while the visiting team wears dark-colored jerseys. However, since the 2017-18 season, the home team has been allowed to choose whether to wear light or dark jerseys, and the visiting team must wear a jersey of sufficient contrast.
In 2020, following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others, the NBA and its players' union agreed to a list of social justice messages that players could choose to display on their jerseys instead of their last names. The messages were displayed above the number during the first four days of the season's restart, after which players could choose to revert to their last names or keep both the social justice message and their last name. There were 29 messages to choose from, including:
- "Black Lives Matter"
- "I Can't Breathe"
- "Justice"
- "Peace"
- "Equality"
- "Say Her Name"
- "Anti-Racist"
- "Group Economics"
- "I Am a Man"
Some players chose to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, with one player commenting: "I stand behind it and support it. And I feel I have a voice and a platform to be able to push it, and that's what I'm going to continue to do." Another player, D.J. Wilson, also opted for "Black Lives Matter," explaining: "That's why I went with it. [...] Our lives do matter."
Other players selected messages such as "Vote Locally," with one player explaining: "I am a believer in voting locally. [...] I believe that in the system that we live in, it is the most accurate way to demand change." Another player chose "Equality," stating: "Everybody should be held at an equal standard, no matter the race, no matter the gender."
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Home jersey player name
The home basketball jersey is typically light-coloured, with white being the most common colour. Other colours include yellow, lavender, orange, and light blue. The home jersey usually features the player's number and last name on the back, with the number also on the front.
The tradition of the home team wearing white jerseys dates back to the era of black-and-white television, when it was necessary for viewers to be able to distinguish the two teams. In addition, white jerseys were easier to keep clean, and made players look more physically intimidating.
In 2020, following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others, the NBA and its players' union agreed to allow players to replace their last names with social justice messages, such as "Black Lives Matter", "I Can't Breathe", "Equality", and "Say Her Name".
In recent years, the NBA has eliminated the designations of "home" and "away" uniforms, instead referring to the lighter-coloured jerseys as "Association" uniforms and the darker-coloured jerseys as "Icon" uniforms. Teams have also introduced "Statement" and "City" uniforms. The home team can now wear any uniform colour it chooses, as long as it contrasts sufficiently with the visiting team's jerseys.
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Home jersey number
The home jersey number is an important identifier for basketball players and fans alike. The home jersey is traditionally a light colour, usually white, although there are exceptions, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, who wear yellow at home. The home team generally wears lighter colours, while the visiting team wears darker colours, although the specific rules depend on the league.
The home jersey number is typically displayed on the back of the jersey, along with the player's name. The number must contrast with the jersey colour, with specific size requirements for the front and back numbers. The home team wears light-coloured jerseys, while the away team wears dark-coloured jerseys. This tradition dates back to the early days of basketball when it was necessary to distinguish teams on black-and-white television. The home team would wear white, which also made them stand out under the dim gas lamps of early basketball arenas.
In recent years, the NBA has introduced more flexibility in jersey colours, eliminating the "home" and "away" designations before the 2017-18 season. Teams' white uniforms became "Association" uniforms, and their coloured uniforms became "Icon" uniforms. Teams also introduced "Statement" and "City" uniforms. The home team can now choose any uniform colour, while the visiting team must wear a contrasting colour.
Beyond the colours and numbers, NBA players have also used their jerseys to make statements about social justice issues. In 2020, following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others, the NBA allowed players to choose from a list of social justice messages to display above their numbers, including "Black Lives Matter", "I Can't Breathe", "Equality", and "Say Her Name".
The style and design of basketball jerseys have evolved over the years, from the heavy wool material and shorter shorts of the 1930s to the looser-fitting, oversized jerseys of the early 2000s. Today, jerseys are made with wicking material to absorb sweat and ensure faster evaporation.
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Frequently asked questions
Home jerseys usually feature the team's nickname or the city/state name.
This is because, historically, it was easier to distinguish between teams when watching black-and-white television.
Home jerseys tend to be light-coloured, preferably white. However, there are exceptions, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, who wear yellow at home.
White jerseys were historically used at home because it was easier to wash jerseys at home, and white shows less dirt. White jerseys may also have increased home-court advantage by making players look more physically intimidating to their opponents.
