NBA superstar LeBron James dropped the new uniforms for his sequel to the ‘90s hit Space Jam today.
The new Space Jam 2 uniform was announced in a video tweeted by the LeBron James Family Foundation. James walks on screen in the short clip, hyped and ready for battle in the fresh threads.
Gone are the good-guy home whites from the original Michael Jordan classic. Instead, a light blue base is accented by indigo and fiery striped hems. The iconic Looney Tunes color rings emblazon James’ left side, curling from short to shirt. The “Tune Squad” team nickname is also stacked and smacked onto the chest in indigo.
That’s great, but what does the Internet have to say?
These new Space Jam uniforms definitely have some… interesting design choices. The player’s front numbers will be on the shorts’ left leg instead of the traditional chest location. Both the jersey and shorts also carry sponsor Nike’s ubiquitous swoosh on them. It’s nice to know multinational corporations have no problem outfitting Earth’s defenders so long as blatant merchandising is involved. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Internet, however, does not seem to share the same enthusiasm for the new threads as James and Co. Much of the Twittersphere’s opinion ranges from disappointment to sheer disgust with the new style. Comparisons to the OG uniform were rampant and fanatical, as are any changes made to a revered institution these days.
It’s possible some updates might be made between now and the July 16, 2021 release date based on initial backlash. But the new uni’s style is a solid attempt at reimagining the Space Jam iconography in a sport where progress persistently overrides tradition. James and his production team should be given credit for ditching nostalgia and creating something new.
Why does this matter?
Corporate shilling aside, any positive updates on Space Jam 2’s progress are a good thing. News surrounding the project has ranged from pandemic-related production shutdowns to a carousel of directors attached to it. At this rate, any news is good news for a project slated to release in less than 11 months.
What do you think about the new uniforms? Have the new threads given you a new reason to look forward to the sequel? Sound off in your comments below!
