Must C’s: Celtics unveil 75th Anniversary City jerseys

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the league and the franchise, NBA, Nike, and the Boston Celtics have unveiled their City Edition jerseys.

It’s all in the details, including the retired numbers and championship shamrocks stitched into the jersey and more importantly, into the fabric of the proud franchise’s rich history.

From the Celtics:

“Designed to capture the many successful eras of Celtics basketball, Boston’s City Edition uniform top features elements from three different decades. Founded with a solid green base, the uniform projects a white outlined wordmark and number scheme reminiscent of the team’s 1949 uniforms. The back of the jersey features a white nameplate block below the player’s jersey number, a nod to the team’s iconic 1988 warmup jackets, while the taping around the arms and neck replicates the team’s 1965 uniform.

The highlight of the many iconic moments that have helped define the franchise’s 75 years are the championships – an NBA-best 17 of them – which have engrained a winning foundation and bolstered a sense of pride across the seven-plus decades of Celtics basketball. To commemorate Banner 17 and all that preceded it, 17 shamrocks are located on the bottom left above the jocktag of the jersey, each of which is labeled with the year of a Celtics championship season. The uniform also acknowledges the many legends that have worn a Celtics uniform, with three replica banners containing the 24 player numbers and names that have been retired by the organization. Red Auerbach’s renowned quote, “The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team, they’re a way of life,” is prominently featured as well.

Returning as the team’s jersey patch partner, Vistaprint’s patch on the left shoulder features their wordmark and logo surrounded by a thicker white border, a detail reminiscent of the iconic Celtics championship banners, serving as another nod to the organization’s 17 NBA championship titles.

“Celtics basketball is built upon an extensive history of great people, iconic moments, and sustained success,” said Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President Shawn Sullivan. “Being able to pull inspiration from over seven decades worth of memories is the perfect ode to our 75^th anniversary season.”

Inspired by the team’s inaugural uniform design in 1946, Boston’s City Edition shorts feature a wide venting shape on both sides. The 75^th anniversary commemorative logo rests on the left short panel, while a Celtics shamrock is featured on the right short panel with the name ‘RED’ – serving as a tribute to the winningest coach in franchise history. A vintage “Lucky the Leprechaun” logo from the 1960s is located at the center of the belt buckle in commemoration of a decade in which the Celtics captured nine titles, including seven straight from 1960 to 1966.

To the fan base that grew up pre-1990’s, the back might have the coolest throwback with the names printed over a solid block. Seeing that will always remind me of Larry Bird — not Klay Thompson — winning the 1988 Three-Point Contest in his warm up jacket.

The Celtics will debut the jerseys next Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks.