This season the NBA began it’s the first year of an eight-year deal with Nike who will be providing jerseys and other athletic wear for the NBA teams. In September of 2017, the NBA and Nike introduced their “statement” jerseys which would be used as their alternate jersey. Nike worked exclusively with every team and their athletes to design the jerseys, so some jerseys are very similar to past jerseys
Nike would later introduce their “association and “icon” edition which has taken the place of the regular home and away jerseys. Now home teams will choose which one of their four jerseys there would like to wear, and the away team will select a contrasting uniform color.
After much speculation and leaked pictures, Nike finally showed off their “city” edition jerseys which are jerseys based on the team’s community and history. We are going to take a look at the 10 best looking city edition jerseys.
10 Milwaukee Bucks
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The cream color that is seen on this jersey is what makes it such a great looking jersey. The new intimidating buck logo that Milwaukee introduced three years ago looks good with the green, white, stripes that surround it and the cream background. These “cream city” jerseys are a tribute to the distinctive clay that the city of Milwaukee is built on.
9 Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets team name was about the 19th-century mining boom in Colorado when people came to the area in search of gold and silver nuggets. So, unfortunately, it is not about the food, but Denver’s new jerseys are a clear example of the city’s history. With two prospector picks going across each other and a mountain in the middle it clearly encapsulates the history of mining in Denver including the beautiful mountains they are known for. As plus their shorts also have some horizontal lines going up and down in the form of mountains.
8 Philadelphia 76ers
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For their city edition jerseys, the Philadelphia 76ers took it all the way back to 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philly. The jersey color resembles the parchment-paper color that was used for the Declaration. And the signature-style lettering which is what makes this jersey stand out so much is to mirror the signatures on the Declaration.
7 Oklahoma City Thunder
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Not only did the Thunder introduce some new players this season but they also added some great looking jerseys. Their city edition jerseys look just as great as their other three jerseys. The dark and light grey throughout the jersey and shorts is to show off the cloudiness in the state of Oklahoma, and the yellow lining around the letters and numbers signifies lighting.Another great part of this uniform is the Oklahoma-shaped patch on the waistband of the shorts.
6 New Orleans Pelicans
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It is pretty apparent when you first look at the Pelicans new jerseys that the colors are related to Mardi Gras. The bold and vibrant colors celebrate the life of the city during Mardi Gras. Another cool thing about these jerseys is the numbers are misaligned to represent the dancing and the city’s energy.
5 Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cavs city edition jerseys use the city’s nickname “The Land” right across the front of the jerseys. It represents the cool new vibe about Cleveland and how proud and protective the community is of their home. The gray and yellow throughout the jersey is what makes it pop and “The Land” is definitely the coldest part of this jersey.
4 Charlotte Hornets
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Just like the Cavs jerseys the thing that makes the Hornets jersey look so good is the nickname “Buzz City” across the front. The jersey is also highlighted by a teal pattern on the sides that resembles the nest and wings of a hornet. Another nice aspect of this jersey is the two hornet stingers at the beginning and end of “Buzz City.”
3 Indiana Pacers
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When the team was named the Pacers in 1967 is due in large part to the Indy 500 that takes place in Indiana. The Pacers used that history of the Indy 500 in their city edition jerseys. On the left side of the jerseys, there are checkered racing stripes that run from top to bottom with the Pacers name tracking downwards. Next to the checkered racing stripes is a circled number which resembles a classic Indy Car nosecone.
2 Los Angeles Lakers
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The Lakers new city edition jerseys give a slight resemblance to the Hollywood Nights jerseys they were a few years ago. But these jerseys are a tribute to the legendary Kobe Bryant who had two jerseys retired this season. The black jersey with yellow lining is already a good look, but then you add the snakeskin print for Byrant who is known as the “black mamba” makes it look even better.
1 Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors were one of the last teams to reveal their city edition jerseys, but they did not disappoint. With Canadian rapper and big Raptors fan Drake as their “brand ambassador,” it was no surprise that the team will wear black and gold jerseys as they did in the past. The colors resemble the colors of Drake OVO Sound label. The six points of the chevron design represent the six boroughs, and the North is a mantra the team coined a few years ago.
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