How to Customize Basketball Jerseys

Put a message of team support on your jersey. Use black fabric paint and letter stamps or letter stencils to make your point. Use alliteration: “Terrific Timberwolves!” or “Rockets Rule!” or “Tried and True Trailblazers.” Stick with classics: “Raptors are #1!” or “Go Hawks!” or “Nuggets are the Best!” Incorporate your name: “Tim Loves the Mavericks!” or “Gerard is a Clippers Fan” or “Mary Loves her Hornets!” Or use a certain player’s name: “King James!” or “Do It Again Kobe!”

Use team colors. With fabric paint, try swirls or color blocks or polka dots on the jersey. Or make use of the message technique using colored paint. “Lakers Fan” in purple and yellow. “Beat 'Em Celtics!” in white and green. “Magic: Second to None” in blue and white. Or just use the team name: “Detroit Pistons” or “Cleveland Cavaliers” in blue and red, “San Antonio Spurs” in black and white. You could also add decorative accents to the shorts. Sew or stitch on some lace, shoelaces, ribbon or even several feathers in the appropriate colors.

Put your team’s mascot on the jersey. Use buttons, puffy paint and fabric paint, fabric scraps and glitter to bring it to life. College and professional teams have some rather outlandish characters representing them. The Philadelphia 76ers’ mascot is a big bunny called Hip-Hop the Rabbit. Both Kansas State University and Illinois’ Northwestern University have a mascot named Willie the Wildcat. The New Jersey Nets' mascot is Sly the Silver Fox, the Portland Trail Blazers' is Blaze the Trail Cat and the Utah Jazz's is Jazz Bear. Providence College has the Providence Friar, and Duke University has the Blue Devil. The Coyote, Rumble the Bison and Bango represent the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.