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Heat reintroduces Vice uniforms

Photo: Peter Baba

The Miami Heat are reintroducing their iconic Miami Vice uniforms starting on Friday when they host the Denver Nuggets.

The white Vice uniform, which has become one of the team’s most beloved designs, will replace the Heat’s traditional white Association uniform for the rest of the 2024-25 season.

This change comes at a momentous time, as Jimmy Butler, who had been serving a suspension, will be eligible to play again on Friday, just in time for the team’s highly anticipated return to these fan-favorite uniforms.

The Heat are scheduled to wear the white Vice uniform 20 times for the remainder of the regular season, marking a significant commitment to the vibrant, eye-catching design that fans have come to associate with the team’s identity.

However, the Blood Red “Culture” City Edition uniform, which had been a recent staple, will no longer make an appearance in any of the remaining games this season. This marks the end of its run, as the Heat pivots back to the uniform style that has become a cultural icon.

Michael McCullough, the Heat’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, expressed how long the team had been working toward bringing the Vice uniforms back.

“We have been in talks with the NBA and Nike for a number of years to try to make this happen,” McCullough said. “And we’re proud to say that we’re the only team in the league bringing back another uniform for the rest of this season.

“This isn’t part of a league-wide initiative. This is purely the Miami Heat standing alone, making the decision to bring back this fan-favorite for the 2024-25 season.”

The Miami Heat first unveiled the white Vice uniform during the 2017-2018 season, and it quickly gained a dedicated following, becoming one of the most distinct and recognizable uniforms in the NBA.

Following the success of the white Vice uniform, the Heat expanded their Vice collection with the black “Vice Nights” uniform, which debuted at the start of the 2018-2019 season.

This was followed by the introduction of the laser fuchsia “Sunset Vice” uniform later in the same season, an eye-catching design that brought even more attention to the Vice brand.

In the subsequent seasons, the team continued to innovate with their Vice-themed designs, introducing the blue “Gale” ViceWave uniform during the 2019-2020 season.

The Vice collection culminated with the “ViceVersa” uniform, which featured a striking gradient pattern of Vice colors, marking the end of the series during the 2020-2021 season.

Now, as the Heat return to their white Vice uniform for the remainder of this season, they are tapping into a deep well of nostalgia while also making a bold statement about the importance of team identity and fan engagement.

The uniform has become a symbol of Miami’s vibrant culture, and its return is sure to energize the fan base as the Heat look to make a push for the playoffs and continue building their success moving forward.

With Butler’s suspension behind him and this iconic uniform back in the rotation, the Heat are sending a message that they are serious about competing and staying true to the aesthetic that has captured the hearts of their supporters.

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