NBA All Star uniforms celebrate New Orleans
The NBA isn't known for its subtlety.
And yet, there it is, in the midst of the high-roller glitz and glamour of the All Star game weekend, a quiet, classy shout out to the host city, lying low in the details on players' blue and white uniforms.
Don't see it? Check out the curling swoosh underscoring the East and West team names. That's a nod to New Orleans' wrought iron architecture. Similar swirls snaking down the jersey's sides echo the lacy railings of Pontalba balconies.
Flip the shirts over, and the backs shine with metallic fabric: gold for the west and silver for the east. The shimmery stuff corresponds to the conference logos, but also is supposed to bring to mind Mardi Gras.
On the player's right thigh is the most overt homage to the Crescent City: a fist-sized NOLA 2008 patch.
But the plug that's sure to bring the loudest applause from local fans is strategically placed above each player's heart. It's the NBA logo done up in a star surrounded by fleurs-de-lis.
Can't you feel the love?
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