Orlando Magic Should Have Gone Full Nostalgia in Rebranded New Look

The black and blue contrast is excellent, as it always has been. The ball with the stars trailing it like the tails of a comet is exquisite. That’s great given that it will be the centerpiece at midcourt at Kia Center for all home games.

Now, let’s nitpick. 

The Magic’s jersey redesign should’ve kept it simple and gone full throwback. The original Orlando look remains iconic and could’ve returned as is or with some slight tweaks. 

To be specific, we’re talking font. Because Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway and Tracy McGrady rank among the greatest players in the team’s history, you can close your eyes and see the Magic lettering I’m referring to in your head. It shouldn’t have to be explained to you, but it’s that jagged-edged look that appeared to have been created by a well-intentioned third-grader who did a fantastic job with the task. Scott Skiles dished out an NBA-record 30 assists with this lettering across his chest. Where is it? Why isn’t it back? Why won't we see new star Paolo Banchero create new memories in a throwback?

The new version is generic in comparison, encompassed by block lettering that makes the star blend in as opposed to being the centerpiece it was meant to be. Of the three looks, the white “Association” pinstriped version is by far the most attractive, and a main reason is because the star stands out largest in shiny silver amidst the M-G-I-C in blue.

The blue “Icon” version some would identify as the road kit in a past life where venues dictated the uniforms teams would wear instead of being arbitrarily chosen, is second-best. 

The white pinstripes on the team’s electric “Magic blue” offers an aesthetically-pleasing contrast, but the “Orlando” looks too small. Sure, there are eight letters to cram in the uniform when working in the city as opposed to the five in the team name, but having the “a” star not be significantly larger was a major miss.

The “Statement” jerseys, your alternate versions that every team has in order to sell more merchandise, are predominantly black. These are more similar to the Magic’s original road uniforms, but maybe that’s why having the solid electric blue atop the team name with no pinstripes looks so off. The design is supposed to play off the team’s original on-court warm-up jackets, but it all feels like elements pulling in different directions, creating a chaotic, non-pleasing result.

Lastly, not being talked about at all is the Magic’s new secondary logo, which too closely resembles an All-Star logo or the Phoenix Suns’ design. It would’ve been nice to see the old-school “O” and “M” figure prominently here since they were discarded, but instead, we got a generic-looking secondary logo that no one can claim to like unless you’re a PHX fan.

Orlando Magic fans have been waiting over a decade for a new look, so it’s right to expect perfection while also understanding this could’ve been much worse. However, since the original design was so well-received and nostalgia played such a large role in this redesign, it feels like a missed opportunity not to have gone full throwback.

Orlando Magic Linked To Four-Time All-Star In Dream Trade

Orlando Magic Can Land $204 Million Guard In Franchise-Altering Trade

Massive Trade Pitch Has Orlando Magic Landing Two-Time All-Star Point Guard