It seems like every year, there are new jerseys coming out, making for plenty of NBA’s ever-changing styles.
Ever since the NBA became the jersey partner with Nike in 2017, many a change has been made to the jerseys. From sponsorship patches to minor tweaks, it’s becoming all over the place. The newest edition is not receiving too many positive reactions. Specifically, some of the City Edition leaks are not receiving much praise.
One team in particular that has cast a great disappointment for their City leaks is the Los Angeles Clippers, and a notable player is taking note of the shift in jerseys.
“Nike is ruining the nostalgia of jerseys, every year, it’s a new jersey, and what gets lost is brand identity.” Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma wrote on x.com, formerly Twitter.
For more on some of the alternating jerseys of the past, check out BSP’s Jesse Zaragoza on an old LA Lakers fit. But why are the jerseys receiving such a shift? Let’s take a deeper look…
NBA’s Ever-Changing Styles
Perhaps, one of the reasons for all the change is accommodating to culture. The tweaks are a nod to the history of the city for the team. Take, for example, the Bucks’ blue city jerseys of the past. The lighter blue is a hallmark of Milwaukee being on Lake Michigan. Also, take the black mamba jerseys for LA. They are a salute to the late Kobe Bryant, the nickname at least.
Now, since 2017, Nike has been the jersey creator for NBA teams. They also want to incorporate sponsorships on the jerseys. With sponsorship patches and all of the NBA’s ever-changing styles, the jerseys may be a bit confusing. However, as most fans would agree, there is one common theme for the new jerseys. Money. Then again, as the saying goes, money talks. Sometimes, the City Edition jerseys are unique in a positive way. One of the more famous City Edition jerseys is the Brooklyn Nets Bed-Stuy jersey.
Their 2023-24 City jersey features a new partnership. According to sportslogos.net, “The Brooklyn Nets have partnered with local artist Brian Donnelly, known professionally as KAWS, to create their 2023-24 City Edition uniforms.”
Final Thoughts
Overall, the artistic designs of the NBA’s ever-changing styles make some of the most unique fits in sports. Sometimes, they can be fun. Or they can be awful. Depending on the fan base, the jerseys are always changing. But they can be some of the best or worst in any league. The NBA’s ever-changing styles will continue to change and adapt to the times. The game and the fits will change, but one thing will stay the same. The fans. Any fans who follow will enjoy the team styles for whom they root.
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Nate Powalie is a contributor for Back Sports Page. A 2022 graduate of Ashland University (Ashland, Ohio), Nate has five years of sports writing experience and has gotten the chance to call sporting events for radio and live stream. Nate also works as a cashier and can be found on Twitter (@PNate22) and Facebook (Nate Powalie).
