Our series on the four jerseys fans of every NBA team continues today. It’s Southeast Division week, and today we’re focusing on the Charlotte Bobcats. Remember, we’re not just going to list off four popular players in team history. We know that when you’re wearing a jersey, you’re going for a “look.” So every day we’re going to tell you the jersey you’ve got to have, the jersey you can’t go wrong with (in case you can’t find the first one), the jersey that will make people say “Oh, that’s awesome,” and the joke jersey that will have everyone laughing.
The Charlotte Bobcats provided a little bit of difficulty for us. They’ve only existed for seven years, providing virtually no history from which to cull a legendary name or cult hero. No one of any significance has spent his entire career with the ‘Cats, so we don’t even have a six-year vet in Charlotte we can turn to as a flag-bearer.
We needed help on this one. So we turned to Andrew Lail, the man behind Bloguin’s Bobcats blog Trade Street Post for some guidance. With his help, we’ve put together the four jerseys fans of this fledgling Bobcats franchise just gotta have.
Gotta Have:
Gerald Wallace — I have to say that at the top of my list, being a die-hard Charlotte Bobcats fan, is a Gerald “Crash” Wallace jersey. He was the epitome of don’t quit, and the only player that was with the team from inception up until the trade deadline this past season. He was our first ever all-star, and will always be a standout in my mind as the guy who folks always loved to see play. I have my own autographed Wallace jersey… so am I biased? Maybe a little, but all the same, he’s the force…G-G-G-G-G-G-G… GERALD WALLACE, WALLACE, WALLACE, WALLACE… #3 is my gotta have jersey. — Andrew
Can’t Go Wrong With:
Gerald Henderson — Henderson had a stellar career with Duke, got drafted in the first round by Charlotte, then coach Larry Brown put him on the shelf. We only got to see him in garbage time, while Coach Brown was at the helm, and in those flickers of time, we saw a crazy athletic player who could really become something if he were to ever get playing time. Insert Coach Paul Silas, and with some added playing time, we all got to witness what a great defensive player Hendo is. He has some facets of his game that he will need to work on (long range shooting and set shots), but I view him as a sophomore in the league, thanks to Brown. I don’t feel that he can be written off because this would be the first season he would be a starter in the league and there will actually be plays in the playbook that are actually written for him and his playing style. This will be the season that he either breaks out or fades into the shadows (Let’s hope there is a season). Knee tendinitis caused by a birth defect in his hip was repaired this summer. If that helps bring more athleticism we weren’t seeing before, hold on tight, because this guy could be the next big thing in Charlotte. — Andrew
“Oh, That’s Cool”:
Michael Jordan — This one led to a lot of debate. The bottom line was that there is simply no jersey in Bobcats history that reaches “cool” levels. So we had to kinda, sorta make one up. Michael Jordan, current Bobcats owner, did actually suit up for the Bobcats in a practice once. We initially thought it would be great to just have that orange jersey he wore as the choice, but that required too much explanation.
No, this time around we took it the one step further and thought it would be cool for fans to be able to wear their owners’ jersey for once. So for about $60, you can go to the NBA store and make this one yourself. We feel like this would be pretty cool to wear around town, and it would definitely get a reaction. Plus… you never really know with Jordan, do you? — John
“Oh, That’s Funny”:
Adam Morrison — Unfortunately, in order to have a “funny” jersey, I feel like I’m going to hurt someone’s feelings. I bought an Adam Morrison jersey because I could see his passion for the game. After the athletically below-average player blew his knee out, I knew there was a storm brewing. Then the trade to the Lakers happened, which we knew he would be shipped off somewhere as filler. The amazing part is that AmMo now has 2 championship rings and barely even touched the NBA court. I guess I’m a fan of dark humor, because I still have and wear my Morrison jersey. However, since it was one with the letters stitched on, I removed the Morrison name. I have my limits. — Andrew
There you have it. The four jerseys Bobcats fans have got to have. Disagree with us? Let us know who we missed in the comments.
Previous jerseys:
Atlantic Division: Boston, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto
Central Division: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee
Southeast Division: Atlanta
Tomorrow: The Orlando Magic
Jeff Garcia collaborated on this post
