CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs turn back the clock Wednesday night against the Sixers, bringing the early 2000s roaring back to life.
Before player introductions, the nostalgia already began to seep in.
Players and coaches alike prepared knowing that the Classic Edition uniforms mean more to the fanbase than could be quantified by jersey sales.
Navy, wine and gold. The same colors LeBron James wore when he first took flight. The same palette that carried Cleveland to its first-ever NBA Finals.
But it wasn’t just a jersey reveal. It was a hardwood time capsule with history integrated in every inch.
The Cavs paired their throwback uniforms with a matching Classic Edition court. The throwback logo at center court gleamed under the arena lights, tying together past and present.
Donovan Mitchell's No. 45 throwback alternate jersey
Donovan Mitchell's No. 45 jersey ahead of the Cavs unveiling of the team’s throwback classic alternate jersey worn in the mid-2000s.Cleveland.com
For Donovan Mitchell, this was a full-circle moment.
The Cavs’ All-Star guard grew up a Cavs fan watching James in that exact jersey. Now he’s wearing it himself, trying to create his own moments worthy of replay.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson admitted he’s a uniform junkie before taking the floor.
“Everyone’s got their opinion, right?” he said. “I love the blue and orange ones — that’s my era, whatever era that is with Mark Price and those guys. It’s kind of cool because it does become a topic among your friends.
“... it’s just great for the league. I like to see what teams are wearing each night. I’m a big uniform guy.”
Even the opposition had to soak in the environment and what it means for the league’s history.
“It’s always cool,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said before the game. “I think a lot of us that are like immersed in it for life kind of have a lot of memories going back. I’m always trying to think about where I was when some of this stuff happens.
“I get a big kick out of it. I get to think back on some of the great players and coaches ... coaches that I was studying as I was a young coach coming up, [and] players you were enthralled with.”
How to watch the Cavs: See how to watch the Cavs games with this handy game-by-game TV schedule.
Cleveland will wear the Classic Edition look for 11 games this season — eight at home and three on the road — including Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks.
Fifty-five seasons in, the Cavs are once again trying to build something lasting. Under Atkinson, Cleveland’s playing faster, defending harder, and rediscovering its edge.
Jarrett Allen's throwback jersey
Jarrett Allen's No. 31 jersey ahead of the Cavs unveiling of the team’s throwback classic alternate jersey worn in the mid-2000s.Cleveland.com
Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have the talent to write their own chapter — maybe even one that echoes the NBA Finals run these uniforms commemorate.
The Classic Edition is clean. Nostalgic. Purposeful. It celebrates what was while hinting at what could be.
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