Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham deserves a new City Edition jersey

Cade Cunningham is likely coming to Detroit to usher in a new era of Detroit basketball. It’s time for the Detroit Pistons to have a City Edition jersey that actually represents the city and is one people want to wear.

The Detroit Pistons have some of the worst jerseys in the entire NBA. For reasons aside from my stick-figure frame, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing one. The City Edition jerseys were supposed to be fun, bold, and flashy, maybe a little provocative too, or at least pay homage to the town they hail from.

The Pistons’ City Editions did none of that. I admit I like the centered numbers, but the circle of lettering is a sad attempt at making a wheel to represent the Detroit car culture, and the so-called “racing stripe” down the side is not a good touch. This has been a theme in Detroit, which has ignored some of the more interesting parts of the city’s culture (MUSIC) and focused on car manufacturing that largely no longer exists.

Also, the jersey doesn’t deviate from the original color scheme at all, and it doesn’t harken back to better times when Detroit was home to a basketball team that was actually good.

The “icon,” or away jersey, is actually pretty solid. It is a tad boring, but for an away game that usually isn’t televised, it isn’t a complete embarrassment. The grey and blue jerseys are also okay, but nothing special. The “Detroit” script across the front is a classic, and probably shouldn’t be altered too much.

My real issue is with the City Jerseys. Detroit has one of the worst in the entire league. I like the bold colors and gradients of Utah and Phoenix, the solid blue is boring and on TV looks the same as the standard blue away threads.

You’re probably asking why I care so much. After all, isn’t the way they play better than the way they look? Absolutely, no one in the right mind would say otherwise. But Detroit has the number one pick and some media coverage that the city has not had in a long, long time. All those photoshop jobs I see of Cade in a Pistons jersey just look kind of sad. They’re boring.

I’m proud of how far Detroit as a city has come, and all four sports teams are on the rise. With the Detroit Pistons surely getting some nationally broadcasted games and making some highlight-worthy plays, I’d like to see Piston merch soar in sales. Detroit wasn’t in the top ten for jersey sales this year, no surprise there, but maybe if they sold a product people would actually want to wear, and field a team people actually want to watch, Detroit can become a team people think about. Look good, play better.

Cade Cunningham is a chance at a fresh start, so the Detroit Pistons should give him one in some better jerseys.