Not only will NBA jerseys have advertised sponsors this season, they’ll also have a new manufacturer.
Nike will produce jerseys for every NBA team starting with the 2017-18 season after Adidas’ run as the primary jersey maker ended. The NBA and Nike agreed to an eight-year deal in 2015, set to begin this season.
As part of that eight-year deal, Nike was able to secure the ability to have its logo on all the jerseys. The only jersey that won’t have the famous Nike swoosh. according to USA TODAY, will be the Charlotte Hornets, who are owned by Michael Jordan. His self-named company is produced by Nike and its logo will appear on the jerseys instead.
Here’s what the new jerseys will look like:
According to ESPN.com, the jerseys will partially be made from recycled plastic bottles. The tops are designed in similar fashion to the 2016 United States Olympic team, and Nike insists the new materials will help players move more freely.
Also of note, the NBA announced it’s doing away with “home” and “road” jerseys — sort of.
“Coinciding with the introduction of the new uniforms, the NBA is eliminating its ‘Home’ and ‘Road’ uniform designations,” the league said in a statement on NBA.com. “Beginning with the 2017-18 season, home teams will pick which of their uniforms will be worn at all home games and visiting teams will choose a contrasting uniform within their own assortment.
“Because of this change, Nike and the NBA worked together to create four core uniforms for each team, classified as “editions,” which draw from the rich heritage of the NBA and its respective franchises.”
Teams will release two sets of jerseys this summer and the other two sets in the coming months.
These changes come in addition to the aforementioned sponsor patches — in addition to the Nike swoosh — that will debut for the first time in 2017-18. For example, the Boston Celtics revealed they’ll wear a General Electric patch for the season, which appears it will go opposite the Nike logo.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
