Tonight, the Warriors will take a trip down memory lane and honor one of the most iconic and beloved moments in franchise history, the We Believe Era. After completing their 47th seasons in Oakland, California, in 2019, the Warriors will showcase their 20-21 City Edition uniform, Oakland Forever, presented by Rakuten.
Judging by the popularity of the new jerseys and corresponding line of apparel at Warriors Shop, this is perhaps the most anticipated jersey debut for the team in years, and that excitement extends to the players.
“That’s fire,” Draymond Green said of the Oakland Forever jerseys on Monday night. “You know I rock with Oakland. That’s my second home. The soul of our team comes from Oakland.”
To accompany the on-court debut of Oakland Forever, the Warriors partnered with Oakland-based apparel company Oaklandish to create a limited-edition collection of merchandise inspired by the City Edition uniform design elements. Fans can purchase all merchandise items at the Warriors Shop at Thrive City, at Oaklandish retail locations, and online at shop.warriors.com and oaklandish.com.
In addition, Rakuten is the team’s first and only jersey partner to-date that has developed unique digital elements to accompany the Oakland Forever campaign. Rakuten and Oaklandish are teaming up to provide Warriors fans with exclusive merchandise offers from the Oaklandish Oakland Forever apparel line. Fans can get an exclusive Warriors Hoodie by Oaklandish for FREE when they spend $25 at Warriors Shop with Rakuten, in-store or online. And as an “and-1,” you’ll also earn 10% Cash Back.
The Oakland Forever jersey is a modern take on the Warriors’ classic “We Believe” jersey sported by the team during their historical playoff victory over the Dallas Mavericks in 2007. Stephen Curry was drafted by the Warriors two years after the team became the first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in a best-of-seven series, and he wore that same style of uniform during his rookie season.
“It’s just so classic,” Curry said of the jerseys. “When you think of old school, you think of this franchise, Oakland, the expression of what we were, those jerseys are front and center, front of mind.”
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Curry is one of six current Warriors players to have played a home game for the Dubs at what was then known at Oracle Arena. That number can be stretched to seven if you count Warriors two-way player Juan Toscano-Anderson, the Oakland native who played a game at Oracle Arena as a member of the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2019.
“People who played basketball in Oakland always dreamed of playing for the Warriors,” Toscano-Anderson said as he reflected on his upbringing on 95th Avenue in The Town.
QUICK FACTS BEHIND THE JERSEY & COURT DESIGN:
- The Oakland Forever jerseys are a nod to the We Believe Era as it was a turning point in Warriors basketball history. Oakland Forever is inspired by the uniforms worn by the team from 1997-2010, the new City edition jerseys where the team played its home games from 1972-1996 and 1997-2019.
- The Warriors will debut the new Oakland Forever court design versus the San Antonio Spurs.
- Wordmark (Oakland): Inspired by the looks of the Warriors “We Believe” era design, the new Oakland wordmark for this jersey directly pays homage to the organization’s love and commitment to the Town.
- Colorway: Iconic blues, oranges and golds of the original We Believe uniform
- We Believe Trim: A gold trim detail down the sides of the jersey to nod to the We Believe mantra
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OAKLAND FOREVER CAMPAIGN SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY:
The Warriors Community Foundation and Rakuten will unveil a new outdoor basketball court in Oakland, influenced by the Oakland Forever theme, this spring. In addition to supporting the Oakland community, the former Warriors practice facility in Oakland houses Generation Thrive, a non-profit hub in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, that focuses on educational equality, college and career readiness, and health and wellness.
To top off the night, the Warriors honored Oakland native Kamala Harris, the first woman and first Black person to serve as vice president of the United States, with an Oakland Forever jersey signed by Stephen Curry.
