It was the late 1980s. The Indiana Pacers were still struggling in the aftermath of the ABA-NBA merge. But the 1987 draft brought California native and UCLA product, Reggie Miller, to the team. It was also the time that the franchise decided it was time to bring in some much-needed changes. And one aspect they were looking to change was the jerseys.

We all know that the jerseys are not just clothes. They represent history. So, as a team that is looking to rebrand and make some noise, it was important for them to think everything through. Multiple times, if required. But in a strange yet brilliant turn of events, they turned to none other than the best person for the job – Florence Griffith Joyner, more famously known as “Flo-Jo”.

Aside from breaking records on the track field, Flo-Jo was also breaking every traditional attribute attested to female athletes that existed then. Her personal choice of dressing was just as, if not more, popular as her athletic achievements. But how did the Pacers get her on board? ESPN tells us the story of how a 3x Olympic gold medalist proved to be crucial in creating a classic NBA look.

Interestingly, the idea of bringing in Flo-Jo, with her iconic single-legging tracksuit that was just as bright and colorful as her nails, was courtesy of Indiana’s first-ever intern. Rebecca Polihronis was a senior in college when she became an intern. She knew that the franchise was looking to rebrand and suggested that they bring in Joyner. Of course, it was a straight no.

But she wasn’t ready to give up. Miss Polihronis was at a drugstore when a bunch of magazines featuring the flamboyant Flo-Jo caught her eye. “I just pulled a bunch of magazines and created what Oprah now calls a vision board and I took it to work and I gave it to my boss,” she recounts. “They said, “We see it, we get it, we’re in.”

But did they hire her simply because of how effortlessly she pulled off the look? Or that she had established herself as a pop culture phenomenon?

The Pacers put their future in the hands of a professional

It is true that the California native did not care at all for conventional looks. And a major part of it was her bold fashion choices, many of which she designed herself. So, when the Pacers came knocking at her door, Florence was already in the business of designing athletic wear.

“My mother taught me how to sew when I was five and I’ve always been a designer at heart, wanting to do something really really big in the world of designing all my life,” Joyner had said in 1998. But this was the NBA. So, she knew that there was a line she had to draw when designing.

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Keeping that in mind, Flo-Jo gave Indiana a functional yet bold style that would become the signature style of the Pacers. The jersey was dark navy, including a brand-new logo with longer shorts and a V-neck. Adding to it was an asymmetrical geometric design. And this was the look that was sported by Reggie Miller when he was living up to his nickname, “Knick Killer”.

The faith that the Pacers team and Reggie Miller put in Florence then was well-placed.

Before LeBron James’ Viral FloJo Outfit, Reggie Millers’ Pacers Had a 7 Year Long Iconic History With World’s Fastest Woman