The Minnesota Timberwolves will bring back their celebrated “Black Trees” Classic Edition uniforms for 28 games in the 2025-26 NBA season, the franchise announced Wednesday.
Majority owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore said the decision follows extensive fan polling since they began the acquisition process. “Hearing the fans loud and clear is very important to us,” Rodriguez told ESPN. “They wanted these jerseys that mean a great deal to them—the ‘Black Trees.’”
The alternate design, distinguished by tree-trimmed piping and a stylized Timberwolves wordmark, debuted as a black version in 1998 and remained in the team’s rotation through 2008. The uniform became synonymous with Kevin Garnett and Minnesota’s run of eight straight playoff appearances, highlighted by the club’s first Western Conference finals trip in 2003-04.
Game Schedule
• The throwback set will appear 21 times at Target Center and seven times on the road.
• First wear: Oct. 26 against the Indiana Pacers.
Marketing chief Mike Grahl noted that the “Black Trees” consistently top fan requests. “There’s no other uniform in the NBA designed this way,” Grahl said. “The character and uniqueness create significant energy for our fans.”
With Anthony Edwards leading the current roster, the organization hopes the uniform nod to the past will energize the home crowd during its pursuit of a third consecutive Western Conference finals berth.
Rodriguez added that additional in-arena surprises and uniform initiatives are planned for the season, all aimed at enhancing the game-day experience.
Source: ESPN
