Reader/designer/pal Walter Helfer has been busy with a project wherein he basically color swaps red/blue teams so that the dominant color becomes secondary, and vice versa. So far, he’s compiled swapped uniforms for teams in the NHL, as well as the NFL and MLB. In addition, based on reader feedback, Walter recently tweaked his concepts for the Bills, Patriots and created a “blue” Cardinals alternate.

Walter returns today to complete his major sports red pill/blue pill swaps, with the NBA.

Here’s Walter:

Red Pill, Blue Pill: NBA Edition
by Walter Helfer

Right off the bat, pro basketball has been playing the Red Pill, Blue Pill game for decades. We have been treated to all manner of Wizards, Nets, Pistons, Seventy-sixers, and Clippers’ uniforms over the years. As you’ll see, my frame of reference focuses on the late ’70s, when most of these teams settled on their classic looks.

NEW YORK NETS

The Spaghetti Strap Gang reveled in the nation’s bicentennial, and flipping the color scheme doesn’t change much. Of course, the US Flag wears its stars against the blue background, but the change would not make anyone think the team was being unpatriotic. Indeed, I bet many fans wish the names and numbers of the white jerseys *had* been blue.

PHILADELPHIA SEVENTY-SIXERS

1971 was the year the team adopted the flag motif, but it took Julius Erving’s joining the team to raise their profile. The last season of the classic Sixers’ stars was 1977, but the red version gives a sneak peek of what would follow.

Changing tastes — and Bicentennial hangover — revealed a starker Sixers’ uniform for the 1977-78 season. The blue uniform might have flown with New England Patriots’ fans who disapproved of the NFL team’s red jersey, but I think the Sixers made the right choice. Red is a dynamic color, and basketball is a dynamic sport.

WASHINGTON BULLETS

Reversing the color scheme changes this bunch dramatically. The stripes have more of a maritime look and the red stars of the 1974 uniform take a minute to register. In 1985 the Bullets dressed up the horizontal stripes and subtracted the stars. The first issue I have is how difficult it is to read the front number. The verdict? They were better off in blue.

Philadelphia and Washington now wear uniforms clearly inspired by what was worn in the 1970s. Flipping the colors of the Wizards’ home uniform barely registers at all, and you can be forgiven for thinking they already wear these. The Sixers’ change is more noticeable, and looks on a par with the blue-heavy home suits. In fact, I think Philadelphia is the only NBA team whose new uniforms are not inferior to the classics.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS and DETROIT PISTONS

We are familiar with these teams in red, white, AND blue, and I thought my efforts might be better seen in changing their home uniforms. It’s been a looong time since the Detroit whites were blue-heavy. The Pistons’ glory years were the 1990’s, the Clippers’ have yet to come, but the ’90s set were most-closely identified with the team.

CINCINNATI ROYALS and DENVER NUGGETS

I thought it a good idea to return to these legacy uniforms, and try my color-swap. The Royals were wise to stick with blue, but I’ll take those expansion-year Nuggets’ sets on any day! They have recently reverted to being a red, white, and blue (and gold) team, so the jerseys with the prospector’s pan and pickaxe suddenly look fresh. One of the more unusual jersey fronts in the NBA’s history.

Thanks, Walter!

OK readers — what do you think? Please let us know down in the comments below!