The Orlando Magic have always had a distinct look visually.
It is not merely just the popularity of their original pinstripe jerseys -- a relic of the 1990s and the brash jerseys of that era, and the stellar team that wore them that took the league by storm. It is a distinct look because fans can always identify each era of the team by the way they looked, the jersey they wore, the court they played on, and even the team's logo.
The 1990s were defined by Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway's presence and those original pinstripes. Tracy McGrady had his star jerseys in the early aughts. Dwight Howard wore the new pinstripes for the return to the Finals in 2009.
Each era of Magic basketball has a distinct visual language. When highlights pop on -- minus the spare throwback game or the excess of alternate jerseys teams now wear -- everyone can tell exactly what era and team they are watching by the jersey and logos.
What the Magic needed now was a stylistic look that signified this new era.
Orlando's primary jersey set has gone largely unchanged since Dwight Howard led the team to the NBA Finals in 2009. The team's logo, changed upon the team's move to the Kia Center (nee Amway Center) in 2010, has remained the same for 15 years.
It was time for a new look. And with a new, young team starting to make its mark in the Playoffs and on the bigger basketball stage, the time was certainly right to redefine this era.
The Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner teams now have their own distinct look to define. This is officially a new era in Magic basketball, cemented with the jerseys and logo the team unveiled Tuesday at Kia Center.
"It certainly signifies a rejuvenation," Magic CEO Alex Martins said at the reveal event. "Certainly, the team on the court is improving. We have seen it improve over the course of the last couple of years. . . . This goes hand in hand alongside with it and hopefully leads to great celebration and great times here at the Kia Center and our community as we strive to do what we're in this to do which is to win a championship."
The Magic certainly hope this jersey will be the one the team wears when it lifts the Larry O'Brien Trophy -- by 2030, right? But it is undeniable that the excitement and energy surrounding the team is real. This is indeed a new era for the team with a team that shows a lot of promise.
Martins said the team has been working on this redesign for the past four years. Nostalgia had a major pull in the redesign. Everyone could sense it was time to refresh the team's look.
Now it is up to the team to show how this era will be remembered and what it will mean.
The Magic's original pinstripes were cultural icons because of the success O'Neal and Hardaway had in them. Magic fans became nostalgic for the stars jerseys that followed because of Tracy McGrady and his excellence. The old jerseys were popular during Dwight Howard's days but fell out of favor as the team struggled to break out of the rebuild doldrums.
How fans ultimately receive these jerseys and how they are thought of in the team's pantheon of fashion will come down to how they perform on the court. Jerseys always look better when associated with memorable moments.
The timing of this new branding is fitting for that reason.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are on the cusp of stardom in their own right. The Magic have two All-Star-level players on the roster for the first time in 15 years. The team has made the Playoffs in consecutive years, and everyone expects more success in the years to come.
This is an exciting time for the franchise. The new identity adds to what they believe is growing on the court.
"It's a legacy for us," Magic board of directors member Ryan DeVos said. "My grandparents when they became stewards of the team 34 years ago, it's something that now myself and the rest of our third generation really take seriously. How do we continue this legacy and move it into the future? We do have a fantastic young core that we're really excited about. They are bringing the energy on the court and so we look at this as a really great opportunity to bring the energy off the court and have something that is truly iconic that we can take globally and deepen our roots in Central Florida."
The new branding signals that visual shift from an old era to a new one. The Magic are officially in the Banchero/Wagner era now. These are the jerseys that will define their times in Orlando and what this version of the Magic become.
When people think back on Banchero and Wagner, these are the visuals they will remember. It is now on them to make these jerseys and their tenure memorable.
It is why there is so much excitement for the team moving forward and anticipation for a busy offseason ahead of these jersey's debut.
"I think logos associate with success," Martins said at the jersey reveal event. "The years of a team where they are most successful on the court for us and certainly the trailing stars on the ball and the broad pinstripes for the most part take you back to the Shaq and Penny era. Arguably, one of the two most successful eras in our history, and so fans connect with that.
"But to modernize it brings back that nostalgia and that connection to great times in our organization's history and our community's history. And you bring out the modern elements to it that hopefully will bring along a whole new generation of Magic fans as they grow up during this era, and hopefully an era that will be as successful as we saw in the early 90s."
It is certainly a time to make some new memories and set a new standard. The Magic have a new visual display for this era and what is to come.