At this point, you already know. The Washington Wizards will be wearing black and gold alternates as their City Edition jerseys
of the 2025-26 NBA season. They are reminiscent of the Wizards’ heyday in the 2000s when they made four consecutive playoff appearances from the 2004-05 through 2007-08 seasons. And from the 2006-07 through 2008-09 seasons, the Wizards wore gold alternate jerseys with white shorts. They were very eccentric for the time.The current jerseys remain black and gold, but the shorts
are now gold, instead of black.
If you’re an older millenial like me, that also coincides with the peak (and also the downfall) of the Gilbert Arenas Era. While the Wizards weren’t particularly known for their wearing of these alternate jerseys, their most noteworthy appearance happened on Dec. 17, 2006 when then-Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas scored 60 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in a 147-141 overtime win.
The jerseys also made an appearance on the cover of EA Sports’ NBA Live 08 when Arenas donned the alternate as the game’s cover athlete.
Do I expect the new City Edition jerseys to spur a string of wins for the Wizards this season? No. Unlike the Wizards of most of the mid to late 2000s, this team is clearly rebuilding while the Wizards of Arenas’ day was a fledgling playoff pack team. Still, it appears that these new jerseys are a nod toward fans’ nostalgia of the Arena years.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
