SALT LAKE CITY (September 20, 2018) – The Utah Jazz will wear Nike Classic Edition purple uniforms at select games during the 2018-19 campaign as the franchise celebrates its 40th season of NBA basketball in the state of Utah. The uniform replicates the classic purple style worn by the Jazz on the road for the majority of two decades during the mid-1980s and early 1990s.
The Classic Edition uniforms feature the original Utah Jazz logo in gold and white on the front chest of the jersey, and the original J-Note logo is placed on the front left leg of the shorts. For the second-straight season, the jerseys also include a patch, sponsored by Qualtrics, with the 5 For The Fight logo representing the campaign for cancer research, and the Nike logo on both the jersey and shorts.
Multiple images of the purple Classic Edition uniforms and the entire Utah Jazz Nike Uniform Collection can be viewed at www.nba.com/jazz/nike1819.
“These classic jerseys are an instant visual connection to our rich and storied past in the state of Utah,” said Bart Sharp, senior vice president of marketing for the Utah Jazz. “Our 40th season celebration is a natural time to reflect on the past and all we have shared together with the fans of Utah, but it’s also an opportunity to look ahead to what is undoubtedly an exciting time for this franchise and the entire state.”
To commemorate 40 Seasons of Utah Jazz basketball, an original video has been released today and can be viewed here.
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The Jazz will kick off the 40 Seasons celebration at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Nov. 7 by wearing the classic purple uniforms against Dallas. The organization will highlight iconic moments in franchise history through in-game videos, digital features and special guests throughout the 2018-19 season.
The Jazz relocated to Utah for the 1979-80 campaign after spending their first five seasons in New Orleans. Larry and Gail Miller purchased 50 percent of the franchise in 1985 and the remaining 50 percent the following year, having solely owned and operated the organization ever since. Last year, the team announced ownership of the Jazz and Vivint Smart Home Arena was transferred into a Legacy Trust in order to keep the franchise in Utah for generations to come.
On the court, the Jazz have enjoyed 15 seasons of 50-plus wins and own a .557 regular-season winning percentage (1,753-1,397) since beginning play in Utah. Frank Layden assumed head coaching duties during the 1981-82 season and led the club to its first playoff berth in 1984, beginning a streak of 20 consecutive postseason appearances under Layden and Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan, which included back-to-back NBA Finals berths in 1997 and 1998.
The Jazz feature prominently in the NBA record books, as guard John Stockton tops the league career lists for most assists (15,806) and steals (3,265), while forward Karl Malone owns the NBA record for most free throws made (9,787). Malone was twice named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1996-97 and 1998-99; center Mark Eaton was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1984-85 and 1988-89, joined by center Rudy Gobert in 2017-18 as the only Jazz players to earn the honor; and guard Darrell Griffith earned NBA Rookie of the Year accolades in 1980-81.
This season, the Jazz will wear their Classic Edition jerseys five times at home and four times on the road for a total of nine games:
- Nov. 7, 2018 vs. Dallas
- Dec. 6, 2018 vs. Houston
- Dec. 10, 2018 at Oklahoma City
- Dec. 21, 2018 at Portland
- Jan. 9, 2019 vs. Orlando
- March 4, 2019 vs. New Orleans
- March 13, 2019 at Phoenix
- April 1, 2019 vs. Charlotte
- April 7, 2019 at L.A. Lakers
A full assortment of Nike Classic Edition jerseys and related merchandise is expected to be available at the Utah Jazz Team Store in mid-November in conjunction with the 40 Seasons celebration.
Media Contact: Frank Zang, (801) 325-2570, frank.zang@lhm.com or Matt de Nesnera, (703) 554-5499, matt.denesnera@utahjazz.com