They may have leaked during an update to “NBA 2K18,” but the final wave of Nike’s new spin on all 30 NBA jerseys is finally here.
In the first year since the major switch from Adidas as the major uniform supplier of the NBA, Nike has taken a relatively tame approach to their spin on many of the classic uniform designs. That is until the City Edition uniforms finally launched. Designed to embody the spirit and energy of every team’s hometown, many of these uniforms feature bold new designs and electric iconography.
We’re profiling all five jerseys from the Pacific Division and highlighting some of the more subtle nods you might have missed the first time – from the championship-defending Golden State Warriors to the Clippers, Lakers, Suns, and Kings. Read on to learn just how much history these jerseys are packing.
Bay Life
Throwback jerseys (and the fanfare that comes with them) can be hit or miss for some teams. That’s less true for the Golden State Warriors, whose “The City” design has been called among the best in NBA history. For their City Edition jerseys, the Warriors have taken the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and stepped it up a notch. With a traditional gold background and underneath “The Bay” in a simple and modern typeface is the city’s emblem, the bridge, featuring players’ numbers at its center and a dragon just above.
A Blast From the Past
The logos and designs that define the LA Clippers have gone through a fair bit of change as the team has migrated from Buffalo to San Diego and now finally Los Angeles. For this City Edition jersey, the Clippers went all in with a not-so-subtle nod to their time in San Diego. Harking back to the team’s logo from the ’80s, the Clippers use a powdered blue and bright orange trim long-time fans of the team are sure to recognize and love.
Legendary Inspiration
It might be easy to see the City Edition of the LA Lakers jersey and keep scrolling, but if you look closely, you’ll see a brilliant homage to one of the team’s greatest players, Kobe Bryant. Called the “Black Mamba” edition, the black jersey is embossed with a gray snake skin print. Bryant spent 20 seasons playing for the Lakers and is known to have gone by the nickname “Black Mamba” during his time in the NBA. Kobe Bryant retired in 2016 and helped design the City Edition jersey for the team.
Phoenix Flair
While the sun may not be shining on the on-court performances of the Phoenix Suns, this jersey is certainly on fire. Opting to go with the Spanish “Los Suns” for the team name and the detailed text of “Somos PHX” (translated to “We are Phoenix”) near the base, it screams city pride.
King Me
Although they haven’t posted a season win percentage above .500 since the 2005-06 season, the Sacramento Kings are probably interested in peering back in time. They did so with this jersey, which calls back to the team’s original colors of red, white, and purple versus the silver, black, and purple they wear now. Oh, to remember the better times when the playoffs awaited the Kings at the end of the season.
Fun in the Pacific Sun
The Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Suns, and Kings make up the Pacific Division, and the NBA and Nike have equipped them with stylish City Edition jerseys. While many of these teams are chasing the Warriors to match them with an on-the-court performance, they all have the right style for every fan. Get the latest officially licensed merchandise and apparel from Fanatics.
Sources
- https://spacecityscoop.com/2017/12/15/new-houston-rockets-city-jersey-leaked-nba-2k18/
- http://www.businessinsider.com/new-nike-nba-uniforms-2017-7/#atlanta-hawks-1
- http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/14107259/uni-watch-friday-flashback-never-too-much-golden-state-warriors-city-design
- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/los-angeles-clippers-new-logo-history-buffalo-braves-san-diego-steve-ballmer-donald-sterling/8chd9mwern1lwm9zck15o7x
- http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/12/lakers-city-edition-uniform-snakeskin-black-mamba-kobe-bryant
- https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-kobe-bryant-reveals-meaning-behind-black-mamba-nickname/
- https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAC/
- http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/240/Sacramento_Kings/
