How Have Basketball Uniforms Changed?

The game of basketball was created in 1891 as a winter sport for the athletes of Springfield College in Massachusetts. The Epic Sports website reports that at the game's outset there were no uniforms, with players wearing long, baggy trousers and short-sleeved shirts.

  1. Early Uniforms

    • Epic Sports explains that basketball players began to wear uniforms around the 1920s, with sleeveless jerseys for men and short-sleeved shirts for women. Medium-length shorts were worn by both men and women.

    Shorts

    • The Knoxville News website reports that the biggest change in basketball uniform history came about in the mid-1980s, with the introduction of longer shorts. Michael Jordan asked his team's uniform manufacturer for longer shorts than the medium- and short-length styles then in fashion. In the 2010, basketball players wear shorts that often reach below the knee.

    Material

    • The original basketball uniforms of the early 20th century were manufactured from wool and cotton, according to Epic Sports. The introduction of polyester and nylon brought about the first breathable material used for basketball uniforms in the 1930s.