On Friday night, Nike decided to unveil an alternate uniform for each of the 30 NBA teams, called the "Statement" jersey. According to Nike, the design is inspired by the teams' "desire to make a bold statement the moment they step on the court." It's not yet clear how often teams will wear these new uniforms, but hopefully it's a lot because they sure are pretty sharp.
Nike unveiled the new uni’s in grand fashion as they invited one player from each team to model their respective cities. You might notice that some of the teams have the same jersey as previous years, but there are some significant changes to the 76ers, Pacers, and a few others. However, they’re of course all Nike branded now, and some include subtle changes beyond that.
“Our Nike uniforms set a new standard for connecting our most passionate fans with their favorite NBA teams and players,” said Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner. “Nike has once again taken the game of basketball to a new level, this time with one of the most advanced jerseys in sports.”
In addition to the jerseys, the players also debuted a new hoody warmup jacket as well. However, one of the more interesting announcement was Nike’s new NBA Connected Jersey, which fans can buy. It features an NFC chip (near field communication chip), and when you download a Nike app, it’ll unlock exclusive content for that player. Here’s how Nike describers it in their press release.
“Using new NikeConnect technology, each adult-sized Nike NBA Connected Jersey will have an embedded NFC (near field communication) chip that will launch real-time team and player content such as pregame arrival footage, highlight packages and top players’ favorite music playlists – all on the jersey owner’s mobile device. Throughout the season, a wealth of exclusive offers and experiences will bring fans closer to the game they love. To unlock it all, fans will download the NikeConnect app and tap the jersey with their smartphone. These jerseys become available online globally on Sept. 29, rewarding the game’s fans with a revolutionary experience that creates a new point of connection between fans and the game.”
While the statement jerseys had previously leaked through NBA 2K, heres the official look at all 30 NBA teams…
(The jersey is the same as it debuted in previous years.)
