March 5, 2007—Looks like those baggy shorts so popular among college hoops teams may finally be on their way out. Taking their place? Really, really baggy shorts. Starting tomorrow night, four top schools—Arizona, Florida, Ohio State, and Syracuse—will don Nike's System of Dress, a radical new look that brings Raf Simons–style proportion-play to the hard court. Complementing the aforementioned shorts are formfitting jerseys ten inches smaller in the torso, resulting in a second-skin look that's more Bode Miller than Ben Wallace. Players will also be able to customize their uniforms by adding options like padded shorts (to protect against the errant knee or elbow) and Dwyane Wade–style leg wraps. "There's sort of that tattoo mentality in basketball of guys wanting to share a similar look but also stand out within that look," explains Hans George, GM of Nike's global basketball business. "We expect that they make take some of the componentry and do something we might not really have imagined ourselves." Time will tell whether the new look catches on with more traditionally minded programs—something tells us Coach K will be a tough sell—but one thing's for certain: Those nut-huggers you wore in junior high aren't coming back anytime soon. Nike System of Dress jerseys, $75, shorts, $60. Available at www.niketown.com, select Nike retailers, and at campus bookstores of the four debut teams. http://men.style.com/news/style/030507
I don't know. It's kind of ridiculous, I think. The form fitting tops just don't look breathable. If they are, then that's cool. The shorts may be a bit too baggy, and I don't like the long sleeves. I guess it's just more of a street look.
let's hope Texas doesn't get Nike to give them any of those System of Dress unis anytime soon- I dunno if i could stand to see Dexter Pittman in one. Plus its just some more crap for Nike to sell on college campuses- another marketing tool just like when Texas wore the black alternate jerseys last year when they played Duke, supposedly to celebrate the 100 years of Texas basketball (yeah right).
Next thing you know they implement a 'track' uniform on the courts to give better movements... then Stern will ultimately decide our NBA-ers to wear speedos... [shudders]
Form fitting jerseys? Thats just not comfortable! Tight jerseys can make shooting awkward. Also I like Florida's jersey better the first time when the Nets wore it. But they do look pretty cool...
those uniforms are the most ridiculous things i have ever seen in sports. the only thing worse i can think of is when the sox took the field in shorts.
that's what i'm sayin' man. what if you're a big fellow (fat) and you don't want your upper body to be revealed so much. man boobs may soon be jiggling all over our tv screens... they cannot possibly wear this during march madness...
My pentecostal highschool girls volleyball team used to wear those same shorts cept they called the koulots.
Long sleeves?!?!? Umm... Synthetic fabric, form-fitting, and long sleeves = itchy, hot, sweaty, stinky And... ugh... the baggy shorts. You'd have thought that 90's trend would have died in the 90's.
what i hate about the nike college basketball uniforms is that they all had the same trim design. look at unc, and ohio state, and everybody with nike. they all have that same little trim on their shoulders.
The NBA looks really old now because Stern cut the shorts. Why can't the NBA have a little more length in the shorts. Looks nicer and cooler.
actually that pro-fit fabric that Nike uses isnt itchy at all, or hot. And the material is designed to absorb sweat and wick sweat off of your skin; the sweat then evaporates into the air. it's like that under armour stuff.
I saw Syracuse wearing them today in the Big East tourney. They looked better, though still not good, than I expected. I didn't see anybody wearing sleeve which I think helps a little.
Looks stupid as hell. Are those basketball players or football players ready to practice without pads?