You can't lead without speed.
Train your eyes on the brand new City Edition Pacers uniform and the elements of design inspired by a state built on speed race to the forefront.
From the all-caps PACERS emblazoned on the front in italics — as if the letters themselves are in motion — to the ALWAYS LEAD text tucked into the left hip of the uniform, speed is dominant in the design.
"It kind of represents Indiana as a whole," said Oladipo after trying on the jersey for the first time. "We're a very subtle state, but when it's time to get on and poppin', it's time to get poppin'."
Subtlety wasn't exactly the name of the game for Florence Griffith Joyner, the sprinter behind Indiana's famed Flo-Jo uniforms. Her sense of style — which was recently nodded to with Beyonce's halloween costume — set her apart from the other sprinters of her era.
Those unique aspects of fashion made their way into the Flo-Jo uniforms, which the Pacers wore from 1990-1997. In this year's City Edition uniforms, some of those elements permeate the design, such as diagonal stripes that break from the uniform's otherwise solid color. While the original Flo-Jo unis had two versions — one with white as the predominant color and the other blue — the City Edition comes in gray with gold lines breaking apart a blue siding.
"I think fans will like them because they're different," he said. "I think they'll like the colorway too. The gray with the blue lining on the side."
The City Edition uniforms also feature a nod to the Pacers' #WeGrowBasketballHere ethos, as the ray lines that can been seen on Indiana's gold Statement uniforms make an appearance on both the shorts and siding of the uniform.
The ray lines break through the text "ALWAYS LEAD", which will be tucked into the shorts during play. The blending of ALWAYS LEAD and We Grow Basketball Here can be seen as Indiana's commitment to leading the way for future basketball players. As basketball becomes an increasingly global passion, Indiana will Always Lead at growing talent from all corners of the state.
"Always lead. Lead by example. You lead by what you say, by the things you do, by the way you represent yourself, your team, and your city," Oladipo said.
The uniforms, which will be worn by the Pacers at the dates listed below, will be available for purchase in the Pacers Team Store starting November 9. An expanded City Edition apparel line will include t-shirts, hats, basketballs, and more.