For the first time since the historic 1995–96 championship season, Kentucky Basketball is officially bringing back the denim uniforms. After months of rumors and years of nostalgia-fueled anticipation, the Wildcats unveiled the modernized throwback uniforms Friday, just one day before they debut against Tennessee inside Rupp Arena.
The return of the denim look has been a hot topic among fans all season. Many expected Kentucky to break them out for the St. John’s game in December, marking 30 years
since Rick Pitino’s “Untouchables” squad last wore the iconic design. The timing seemed perfect, but the uniforms never hit the floor. Instead, Kentucky waited for a bigger stage. On Christmas Day, the program announced that the denim would finally return on Feb. 7 vs. Tennessee, and now the reveal is here.
The 2026 edition features a lighter denim-tinted outline, with KENTUCKY stretched across the chest and Nike and SEC logos on opposite shoulder straps. The shorts include the UK logo encircled by the phrase “AN UNPARALLELED TRADITION.” A nod to the 1996 team, famously nicknamed The Untouchables, which is a team Mark Pope himself played on and is subtly included in the new design. Freshman standout Malachi Moreno modeled the No. 24 jersey in the official photoshoot, paired perfectly with the new Nike Book Chapter 2 “Must Be the Denim” shoes.
After three decades, the denim is back. What do we think, BBN?
