How Kith, Big Sean and the 1996 NBA All-Star Game Played a Role in the Nike NBA City Edition Uniforms
Nike has revealed its new 2022-23 NBA City Edition collection of uniforms, an effort that is now in its sixth year. And as always, the range is a representation of the stories and history that make each team in the league unique.
Highlights include looks designed in collaboration with Kith and Big Sean, and one with inspiration from the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.
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This year’s City Edition uniform for the New York Knicks, which was designed in partnership with Kith, is a nod to the franchise’s legendary teams from the late ’90s and early 2000s. To recapture that era’s energy, the jersey was designed with a V-neck and the inverted colors from the team’s 1998-2012 seasons. Also, there’s an updated New York wordmark on the chest, and the Nike NYC logo appears on both the jersey and the short.
Aside from the jersey reveal, it was announced today that Kith founder and CEO Ronnie Fieg has been named creative director of the Knicks.
Courtesy of Nike
Nike revealed in a statement that the Detroit Pistons 2022-23 NBA City Edition uniform was designed in collaboration with rap megastar Big Sean, who is the team’s creative director of innovation. This uniform, according to Nike, is a tribute to the gym at Saint Cecilia’s — a.k.a. The Saint — which is described a safe place in the city to play basketball and where many legends have hooped. The uniform is green, which is a nod to the gym’s logo, and the quote that is on the court floor at “The Saint” that reads “Where stars are made, not born” is on the bottom alongside the rapper’s signature. Also, three stars on the jersey and shorts serve as nods to the Pistons’ three NBA Championships, and the shorts feature a replica of The Saint’s stained glass window.
Courtesy of Nike
The 1996 NBA All-Star Game in San Antonio — which is widely considered to have had the best jerseys in the annual event’s history — inspired this year’s San Antonio Spurs 2022-23 Nike NBA City Edition uniform. The look is executed in turquoise color and features pink, orange and black accents on the taping and waistband. Also, the team’s cowboy boot spur is featured on the shorts and on the front on the jerseys.
Courtesy of Nike
Other stories told in this year’s Nike NBA City Edition uniforms include the nod to the Windy City’s iconic architecture and the Chicago Municipal “Y” symbol introduced in 1917 for the Chicago Bulls, the Native American cultures of the 22 indigenous tribes in Arizona for the Phoenix Suns, and the iconic ’90s PDX airport carpet for the Portland Trail Blazers.
The lone team without a Nike NBA City Edition uniform this year is the Utah Jazz.
Several jerseys are available now via Nike.com.
Courtesy of Nike
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