By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Feb 22, 2022 at 4:36 PM Photography: Twitter/@ryaninsix

The Bucks haven't even started the second half of the current season, but fans may already be eyeing up next year as a massive leak potentially revealed some of Milwaukee's alternate looks for the 2022-23 slate – including the possible return of the popular purple uniforms.

Thanks to a very early leak posted by uniform enthusiast Casey Vitelli, dozens of NBA looks were already revealed for the upcoming season, including two alternate uniforms for the Milwaukee Bucks: another new City Edition jersey as well as a "Classic Edition" throwback jersey. 

We'll start with the latter since that's the one fans will likely be most excited about: a return to the purple-and-green uniform from the '90s and early 2000s. Here's a (admittedly grainy but still early) look:

Bucks jerseyX

Yep, looks like the old Bucks! According to SportsLogos.net, the "classic edition" uniforms – almost exact replicas of past jersey designs – are allowed for a single season for teams celebrating a notable anniversary, such as a championship year or founding season. For instance, for the team's 50th anniversary in 2017, the Bucks brought back the inaugural uniforms from their 1968 season. With next season marking the team's 55th anniversary, it would appear Milwaukee's bringing back the purple.

The second leaked look is the Bucks' annual City Edition alternate uniform – which in past years included the divisive MECCA-inspired jerseys, the "Cream City" alternates, the blue lake-inspired uniforms and the hybrid throwback jerseys currently worn this season. This alternate brings back the bright blue with "Milwaukee" written on front and a new side panel color design, appearing to integrate the team's regular black, cream and green color scheme into a new take on the "Irish rainbow" in an M pattern. 

Bucks jerseyX

Neither of these designs have been officially announced or confirmed by the Milwaukee Bucks. However, SportsLogos.net founder and uniform expert Chris Creamer noted "reliable sources" told him the jerseys are legitimate – and he rarely, if ever, gets juked out by fake mock-ups and concepts. So there is a solid chance these are the real deal. 

Therefore, unless there are any unforeseen changes coming for the team's Association (home white), Icon (green road) or Statement (Fear the Deer black alternate) jerseys, with the addition of these two new leaked alternates, the Bucks' uniform slate for the 2022-23 season should look something like this:

Bucks 2022-23 uniforms
Home, road, Fear the Deer Statement, City Edition and Classic Edition
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An early verdict? Alongside the rest of the lineup, the two new uniforms look worthy of recent NBA champions.

While the previous attempt to mix blue – a color found in Milwaukee's main looks, albeit used sparingly – into the fold went a little too far, not quite gelling with the rest of the Bucks uniforms, this new City Edition alternate looks like blue done right. The side panels featuring the team's main color palate really help this design fit in with the rest of the jersey collection. Between the refreshing blue and eye-catching, zig-zagged lining, these uniforms could really pop on the court. 

And while the purple Ray Allen/Glenn Robinson era throwbacks may not fit with the current color scheme ... come on, it's finally the purple Ray Allen/Glenn Robinson era throwbacks. I doubt you'll hear many complaints as, for many Bucks fans, this look's been the great white whale – or more like purple-and-green whale – they've been hoping to see on the court once again, mostly unaltered. (It would appear the green-and-white side panels didn't make the cut.) Next on the wish list, I imagine: the green '90s throwbacks with the oversized purple deer on the front.

We'll find out if these leaks are officially official – and certainly get some cleaner looks at the uniforms – as we get closer to next season. As for THIS season, the fifth-place Bucks will take the court once again on Saturday night against the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum, aiming to wrap up the regular season on a good second-half kick and lead into another postseason to remember. For more information on tickets and the schedule, visit the Bucks' website

And for more updates, stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.