# Basketball uniforms **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020 "2006-04-17T16:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/1 "2006-04-17T16:36:10Z")
Speaking of team uniforms, let’s talk about basketball uniforms. From the 1930s to the 1980s, the pants on professional team uniforms were cut at mid-thigh. Then for some reason they got long, knee-length, and very baggy. They still look to me like they stepped out of a photo from 1915. Was this longer pants change a mandate from the NBA? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/2 "2006-04-17T16:38:54Z")
No mandate. Just style. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/3 "2006-04-17T16:49:07Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Speaking of team uniforms, let’s talk about basketball uniforms. From the 1930s to the 1980s, the pants on professional team uniforms were cut at mid-thigh. [QUOTE] Mid-thigh, my ass. 🙂 [Jordan’s NCAA winner](http://www.sportsposterwarehouse.com/warehouse/jordanunc82pf.htm) ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/4 "2006-04-17T16:53:43Z")
The “long shorts” era really started with the “Fab Five” at Michigan in the early 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/5 "2006-04-17T17:43:44Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > The “long shorts” era really started with the “Fab Five” at Michigan in the early 90s. And saying the old ones hit at mid-thigh is rather generous; they were more like hotpants. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/6 "2006-04-17T17:44:59Z")
The NCAA allows longer shorts than the NBA also. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/7 "2006-04-17T18:06:19Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > The “long shorts” era really started with the “Fab Five” at Michigan in the early 90s. I thought it had more to do with Jordan, who wore his UNC shorts under his Bulls uniform. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/8 "2006-04-17T18:12:08Z")
> [@whole bean](#): > > I thought it had more to do with Jordan, who wore his UNC shorts under his Bulls uniform. Yeah, [thought so](http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_bio.html) from the link > [@](#): > > He continued to wear the shorts of his beloved North Carolina basketball uniform under his Bulls uniform. This may have led him to wear longer game shorts although he has said that the extra length allowed him to bend at the waist and tug at the hem for a good resting position. Either way, the trend toward the baggy shorts was started and the entire league and sport would follow. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/9 "2006-04-17T18:12:12Z")
How would that make the shorts longer? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/10 "2006-04-17T18:13:00Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > And saying the old ones hit at mid-thigh is rather generous; they were more like hotpants. They were called “Marilyn Monroes”. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/11 "2006-04-17T18:16:42Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > How would that make the shorts longer? Assuming you’re asking me – to cover up the “under shorts” whcih, if veiwable, would be a violation of the NBA’s “uniformity of uniforms” rule. But the link says it had more to do with comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/12 "2006-04-17T18:20:06Z")
Recent thread in IMHO on the [same topic](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=366170&highlight=basketball+shorts). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-uniforms/353020/13 "2006-04-17T18:33:37Z")
[For the ladies:](http://www.hoopsvibe.com/jerseys/jerseys_dresses/index180.html) A line of NBA jersey style dresses, sometimes worn as prom gowns.