Top 10 NBA Jerseys of All-Time

NBA Commissioner David Stern made the decision in 2005 to enforce a strict dress code rule on players. The reasoning behind this decision was that the NBA was no longer being represented as a business. Players would show up to games in baggy, hip-hop inspired clothing and Stern thought that it was hurting the perception of the NBA.

At first, players were hesitant to accept somebody telling them how to dress, but all of you out in Corporate America know that first impressions are everything. This is why you never see a CEO of a Fortune 500 company wearing pants three sizes too big and a T-shirt to match, because nobody would take him or her serious. In order to be perceived as credible, you must present yourself in a manner that suggests you are ready to take care of business, and that is exactly what Stern wanted.

Luckily for the Commish, not only did the players conform to this dress code rule (some more willing than others), but the hip-hop scene which is so strongly connected with the NBA has also changed. Now, instead of the biggest celebrities wearing their bed sheets around town; you see them delving into the world of fashion, and embracing it. The biggest NBA stars are following suit as well: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Durant have all made fashion statements (some good and some bad). Whether they are good fashion statements, or bad ones, anything is better than the things we would see before the dress code rule was instituted.

In honor of the NBA dress code, I am going to provide you with my top 10 NBA Jerseys of all time:

10. Phoenix Suns - Early to late 90's

This jersey, seen here on Kevin Johnson, provided everything I look for in a great uniform. It has fantastic colors, a great logo, and a sleek design. The road blacks are somewhat intimidating to opposing teams as well

9. Sacramento Kings - Powder Blues

The Kings wore this jersey in the 80's, seen here on Reggie Theus, and it adopted a sort of baseball style lettering with the cursive writing and underlining. Also, this was the first NBA jersey to have the players last name underneath their number on the back.

8. Washington Bullets - 1980's

In the 80's, the Bullets slightly changed their jersey from the one they donned in the 70's. Seen here on Moses Malone, a thin blue pinstripe was added between the thick red lines to give a little added style. Also notice the lower case letter "b", the Bullets were the only NBA team to not have a capital letter at the beginning of the teams name on their uniforms.

7. Indiana Pacers - 1980's

The Pacers wore this jersey all throughout the 1980's. The bold lettering and nice colors really made this jersey eye-catching.

6. Atlanta Hawks - 1980's

I think Atlanta should go back to this one for good. Great colors, nice lines and overall great style, if it weren't for the greatness attached to the Lakers and Celtics franchises, this would be in the top 5.

5. Boston Celtics

This jersey is just plain classy. Simple colors and lettering make this one of the best jerseys ever in the NBA. It doesn't hurt that the Celtics have won all 17 of their NBA Championships in the same exact uniform.

4. LA Lakers

Like the Celtics, the Lakers classic purple and gold have been the class of the NBA since they adopted those colors in the late 60's. So many great players and NBA Hall-of-Famers have worn the Lakers purple and gold jerseys, and when you ask anyone what color uniforms the Lakers wear, they will not hesitate in their answer.

3. Orlando Magic - Expansion Jersey's

The Magic had it tough as an expansion team in '89, but they did a fantastic job on the design of their uniform. One of the first teams in the NBA to use vertical pinstripes, the Magic combined great colors along with a striking logo to create one of the top three NBA jerseys of all time.

2. Golden State Warriors - "The City"

Some say "The City" was Golden State's attempt to make a joke on New York. Whether it was or not, I was torn between this great jersey and the one that I chose for the top spot. The lettering is simple and the use of the symbolic Golden Gate Bridge on the front, and the Cable Car on the back makes this a design masterpiece.

1. Denver Nuggets - 1980's to early 90's

The Denver Nuggets sported this amazing uniform from the 1980's through the early 90's, and I'm not sure why they decided to change it. The usage of the Denver skyline inside a shadow of the Rocky Mountains is genius, and the rainbow stripes that wrap the jersey are another great design feature. This is a much deserving recipient of FTS Top 10 NBA Jerseys.

Stay tuned for the 10 worst jerseys in NBA history.