As one of the youngest franchises in NBA history, the Minnesota Timberwolves don’t have quite as much history as the teams that have been around since the ABA days. They’ve had several great players come through the organization, but have yet to capture that first NBA championship.
But one thing the Timberwolves can boast about is their ridiculously good uniforms they’ve put out throughout the years. In just 33 years of franchise history, they’ve managed to produce some of the best jerseys and uniform combinations in NBA history.
If you’re not convinced that Minnesota’s jerseys have been iconic, all you need to do is look at jersey collectors. No self-respecting jersey junkie is without one of the Timberwolves’ 90s or 2000s threads in their closet.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best jerseys in Timberwolves history.
5. 2018-19 Prince-Inspired City Edition
The Timberwolves’ jerseys almost always revolve around their standard color palette of blue, gray, black, and green. But in 2018-19, the team released a bold new design for their city edition jersey, and it was well-received by the fanbase.
https://twitter.com/HoopsHabit/status/1058118753894850560?s=20&t=oqwBSnEAW3b5RtvdRS1FbA
The black and purple jersey pays homage to the legendary Minneapolis-born singer, Prince. His famous album, Purple Rain, gave inspiration to the lettering on the front of the jersey and side of the shorts.
This uniform was a bold move by the organization in stepping away from their traditional look, but it ended up being one of the more loved threads in team history. Designs that fans can feel a personal connection with almost always succeed.
4. 2021-22 City Edition
The design the Timberwolves released as their most recent “City Edition” jersey proved to be one of the more brilliant designs they’ve ever come up with.
Featuring the old-style numbers and an abbreviated “Wolves” logo with the same lettering worn on the uniforms prior to 2017, this uniform struck an amazing balance between vintage and fresh.
The front of the jersey is decorated with the same lighter shade of blue used in the uniforms from the 1990s, and it transitions to a darker shade of navy blue on the back. The howling wolf logo used at center-court in Target Center adorns the side of the shorts, encircled by a green ring.
After wearing these in the unforgettable 2022 playoff series against Memphis, Timberwolves fans will be begging to bring these back in no time.
3. 1996-08 “Trees” Road Jerseys
The jerseys used from 1996 to 2008 remain some of the most iconic in NBA history, due in large part to Kevin Garnett’s dominance while playing in them.
The @Timberwolves end the NBA's longest active playoff drought of 13 seasons. Their last playoff appearance came in 2004, when they made it to the Western Conference Finals with a lineup that featured Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell, and Sam Cassell pic.twitter.com/AM1surFp8z
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 12, 2018
When KG won his MVP award in 2004 and helped take Minnesota to their first ever Western Conference Finals, he helped make this jersey famous in the process. The powder shade of blue became synonymous with Minnesota Timberwolves basketball during the late 90s and early 2000s.
The unique trim in the shape of green trees used around the neck and arms is one of the most visually appealing and creative parts of any NBA jersey all-time. This jersey is an easy top-three selection.
2. 1989-96 Original Road Jersey
As part of the original set of uniforms released in Timberwolves history, this jersey would hold a special place in the heart of Minnesota fans even if it weren’t the best design.
But not only is it a great design, it has an argument for being the best jersey in team history. The simplicity of the “Wolves” mark and the lettering is striking, and the green-on-blue coloring is nothing short of iconic.
Timberwolves fans still rock these original threads to this day, and for good reason. I think we’d all like to see this brought back as a City Edition jersey in the near future.
1. 1996-08 / 2018-19 “Trees” Alternates
Speaking of bringing a design back a second time, that’s exactly what happened with the 1996-08 alternates, and it’s why they’re the best jersey in Timberwolves history, without question.
https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1035195976133292032?s=20&t=oqwBSnEAW3b5RtvdRS1FbA
The black alternates used in the Kevin Garnett era were simply the best iteration of Minnesota’s brand. The white “Timberwolves” wordmark pops off the front of the chest like no other, and the green trees lining the arm and neck look best against an all-black background.
This design gave off a vibe of raw energy and determination, which perfectly matched the spirit of the 2000s Timberwolves. The Minnesota faithful was floored when the team announced these threads would make a return for the 2018-19 season.
As solid as the Wolves’ current jersey rotation is, I wouldn’t be upset at all if this jersey got another go-around.