A First Look at the Wizards New City Edition Jerseys
The Washington Wizards debuted their new black, white, and gold “Encore” uniforms yesterday, drawing inspiration from the gold alternates worn in the late 2000s, a look some fans recall fondly, while others remember it as a low point in the team’s design history. With bold gold as the base color and clean white and black accents, the uniform seems to nod to the past while quietly testing the waters for a broader visual shift, possibly even hinting at a future rebrand. Featuring details like the “DMV” insignia and a silhouette of the Washington Monument, the design attempts to ground itself in local pride. Set to debut on November 16th against the Nets and worn 29 times this season, the jersey is positioned as a major part of the team’s on-court identity. Still, despite the new palette, questions remain about whether this look represents a fresh era for the franchise, or just a safe repackaging of something fans have seen before.
The “new” Wizards jerseys are set to be worn 29 times this season, 19 at home, and are modeled after the black-and-gold alternates worn by the team from 2006 to 2009. While marketed as a bold City Edition release, the design is essentially just another colorway of the Wizards’ existing uniforms, offering little in terms of creativity or innovation. The layout, font, and overall structure remain unchanged, making the jersey feel less like a fresh concept and more like a copy-paste job with a gold filter. It’s a safe move that misses the mark for fans hoping for a uniform that captures the unique identity of D.C. or breaks new visual ground. Instead of reimagining the team’s look, this drop feels more like a rehash, familiar, forgettable, and frustratingly uninspired.
While the Wizards’ new black, white, and gold uniforms may not break any design boundaries or bring fresh energy to the court, they still manage to tap into a sense of nostalgia that resonates with longtime fans. For better or worse, the return of the 2000s-era colorway brings back memories of a distinct chapter in franchise history, one marked by names like Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler. Even if the design itself feels uninspired, the emotional pull of seeing familiar colors revived can’t be entirely dismissed. It’s a reminder that uniforms aren’t just about aesthetics; they’re about connection, memory, and identity. For a fanbase that’s stuck with the team through highs and lows, that kind of nostalgia still carries weight.
