On the road against Baylor on Tuesday, February 23rd, and at home on Saturday, February 27th, the Kansas Jayhawks will be adorned in special uniforms commemorating Black History Month. Inspired by their 1950’s teams that featured the transformative talents of Wilt Chamberlain, the throwback uni’s feature royal blue and cream tones and the classic block lettering and numbers used during basketball’s early years.
The jersey includes crimson, blue and white accents, while the shorts feature a two-color stripe as a nod to Kansas’ classic look and feel.
Few people understand the magnitude of Wilt’s presence on the college basketball scene. In his very first varsity game, he scored 52 points and grabbed 31 rebounds. More than just a big guy who dunked, he was an outstanding athlete who ran the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds, shot-putted 56 feet, triple jumped more than 50 feet, and won the high jump in the Big Eight track and field championships three years in a row.
The game of basketball’s most inexorable offensive force, Wilt had a vicious fade-away jump shot, a smooth finger roll and crazy geometric skills with his array of bank shots, in addition to his shot-blocking prowess and underrated passing skills.
Few athletes changed the game the way Wilt Chamberlain did. And no one was more instrumental in terms of black students and athletes gaining acceptance on the college campuses of historically segregated communities as Wilt was during his three years in Lawrence, Kansas.
Props to KU for its subtle nod towards Wilt’s significance and paying homage to him during Black History Month by wearing the style of uniform that he wore when the eyes of the sporting world landed squarely on the university during his tenure there.
