What goes into redesigning a basketball uniform? It’s more than just creativity; it involves design experts, countless brainstorming sessions, and potentially hundreds of discarded ideas. This intricate process can span anywhere from 18 months to two years. For K-State men’s basketball’s recent uniform overhaul, it also included numerous discussions with the team, extensive research, and crucially, a designer deeply passionate about the program.
Jason Wright, a product graphic designer at Nike and a K-State alumnus (Class of 2012), spearheaded the design efforts for the team’s new uniforms. As a lifelong Wildcats fan hailing from Garnett, Kansas, Wright played a pivotal role in crafting everything from the away purple jerseys and home whites to the throwback Wildcats Script uniforms and the striking all-lavender K uniform, debuted against St. Louis. For Wright, seeing his designs worn by his childhood team is a dream realized.
“It’s surreal, especially now seeing them on the court. Knowing I contributed to a team I already cared deeply about, regardless of their uniform design, is an incredible feeling,” Wright shared in an interview with K-State Sports Extra. “From a design perspective, it’s significantly easier and more rewarding to design for something you’re personally invested in and understand.”
Image alt text: K-State Wildcats basketball team in their newly designed purple away K uniforms, showcasing the updated design on the court.
Wright’s pre-existing passion for K-State was a key factor in his involvement. While he typically focuses on football designs at Nike in Oregon, his reputation as a devoted K-State fan led to him being asked to contribute to the basketball uniform redesign project. His deep-rooted connection to the school provided a significant advantage in the research phase. Growing up in Kansas and having visited his sister at K-State during the era of basketball stars like Bill Walker and Michael Beasley, Wright had absorbed the program’s culture from a young age.
“I was heavily invested in K-State basketball, especially during the Beasley/Walker years,” Wright recalled. “That era really sparked my interest.”
Delving into the Design Process of K Uniforms
Despite his existing knowledge, the uniform redesign demanded thorough research. Wright and the design team collaborated closely with K-State, gathering feedback on the previous uniforms – what players and staff liked and disliked. The aim was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the program’s identity and aspirations.
“We wanted to understand what message they wanted to convey to their players, the current state of the program, and their overall identity,” Wright explained. “This involved extensive research, from scouring Google and fan forums to gain a baseline understanding of the team’s standing and the visuals that would resonate with them.”
According to Wright, a crucial aspect of Nike’s design process is immersing themselves in the client’s world. Understanding the nuances of a program, from its geographical location to its athletic conference, is vital. “A successful design for a school in the SEC will differ greatly from one in the Pac-12 or Big 12,” Wright noted. “The better you know the client, the more effectively you can create designs that truly connect with the fans. My personal investment in K-State made the design process incredibly enjoyable. It allowed me to speak from a place of genuine understanding during design reviews at Nike.”
Image alt text: Close-up view of the K-State Wildcats home white and away purple K uniforms, highlighting the fabric, design details, and team logos.
This research phase typically leads design teams to identify core pillars that represent the essence of the program. For K-State’s home and away K Uniforms, three key pillars emerged.
Pillars of the K Uniform Design
The first pillar was “no-frills toughness.” Wright elaborated, “K-State basketball embodies toughness and teamwork, reflecting a state-school ethos. This influenced the typography and design details, steering them away from excessive flashiness.”
The second pillar was “Midwest humility.” The design team used former K-State player Dean Wade, known for his work ethic and team-oriented approach, as a prime example. “Dean Wade epitomized the type of player who thrives under Coach Bruce Weber,” Wright stated. “Players like Wade, Rodney McGruder – hardworking, team-first individuals, not necessarily those seeking individual spotlight.”
The final pillar was the “Wildcat within,” visually represented on the sides of the K uniforms. Wright, who had taken classes from Tom Bookwalter, the creator of the iconic Powercat logo, aimed to subtly incorporate this symbol of K-State identity. The stripes down the sides of the jerseys and shorts are a modern interpretation of the Wildcat spirit.
“The overall K uniform design, especially from the front, emphasizes simplicity and a stripped-back aesthetic, representing that hardworking, no-frills culture. However, the side profile reveals the ‘Wildcat within’,” Wright explained. “It’s about bringing elements of the Powercat to life in a new way. The Powercat is synonymous with K-State. We wanted the uniform to reflect that boldness. The stripe on the shorts, emerging from the side seam, is what we call the ‘Wildcat Within’ – the DNA of the Powercat subtly revealing itself.”
Throwback K Uniforms: Honoring K-State Basketball History
K-State’s all-lavender K uniform and the retro Wildcats script white uniforms, worn against Marquette, followed a similar design process, rooted in research and historical inspiration. This time, Wright and the team utilized Nike’s photo subscription services to delve into visual archives from past eras.
The positive response to K-State’s recent revival of the two-tone look (originally from 1973-82) inspired Wright to further explore and expand upon this retro aesthetic. This led to the creation of the all-lavender K uniform. Vintage photographs served as crucial references for ensuring the authenticity of the throwback elements.
Image alt text: Detailed shot of the lavender K uniform font, highlighting the vintage-inspired typography and number design, paying homage to K-State basketball history.
“(We) meticulously examined the typography details from those photos. The ‘Kansas’ and ‘State’ lettering, especially the numbers, were recreated to be virtually identical, using a custom font to match what legends like Rolando Blackman wore,” Wright explained. “It was about adding layers of authenticity to the lavender K uniforms.”
The inclusion of “EMAW” (Every Man A Wildcat) on the shorts’ waistband also stemmed from historical imagery. While reviewing old photos of K-State home games at Ahearn Field House, Wright discovered a banner from the late 1970s featuring the “Every Man a Wildcat” slogan.
“I was amazed to see the ‘Every Man a Wildcat’ banner in a photo from the late ’70s, during Rolando’s era. It went back that far,” Wright remarked. “We incorporated that banner’s message onto the shorts, adding another layer of historical storytelling to the retro K uniforms.”
Image alt text: Close-up of the lavender K uniform shorts, showcasing the “EMAW” detail on the waistband and the overall design of the retro-inspired basketball shorts.
Wright also expressed his admiration for K-State’s home white uniforms from the same era, anticipating fan enthusiasm for their return. This led to the recreation of the script Wildcats white uniforms for the Marquette game.
“Looking through Rolando Blackman-era photos, the white uniform with the script Wildcats logo stood out. While everyone loved the lavenders, the equally cool home look from that period was almost overlooked,” Wright observed. “I felt it would be a fantastic addition to the uniform set, further enhancing the legacy of the lavender. Although the original home uniform likely didn’t feature lavender, understanding the fans’ affinity for it, we incorporated lavender piping and striping details, along with a kiss-cut around the script wordmark. We aimed to blend modern appeal with throwback inspiration.”
When asked about his personal favorite K uniform, Wright leaned towards the new away purple design, while also expressing excitement for the Wildcats script throwbacks. He highlighted the special feeling of watching the purple K uniforms on television during K-State’s overtime victory against UNLV, seeing the design pillars come to life on the court.
“Seeing K-State, my alma mater, wearing the uniforms I designed on national TV, especially during that UNLV game, was a career highlight,” he said. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the team wearing the K uniforms this year. It’s been really cool.”
Image alt text: K-State Wildcats players wearing the white throwback K uniforms with the Wildcats script logo, capturing the vintage aesthetic and team spirit on the court.
