NBA unveils new Nike City Edition uniforms

For the sixth straight season, teams around the NBA will don new City Edition uniforms, layering in localized storytelling through new looks.

All 30 franchises featured a hybrid “mixtape” design approach for last year’s NBA 75th anniversary season uniforms. For this season, teams returned to the annual City approach that features jerseys highlighting everything from regional landmarks to native nicknames and era-specific fonts.

“[Basketball is] an opportunity to bring people together and celebrate community,” said Jesse Alvarez, product director for men’s basketball at Nike. “In our sixth year collaborating with the NBA, we’re putting court, community and culture at the center of our designs to tell the stories that make each franchise unique.”

Typically, each team designs its City Edition as far as three years in advance. The Utah Jazz is the only franchise not to have a City Edition option this year, as the team looks to focus on their new neon yellow jersey designs.

Several teams dug deep for their storytelling. The Grizzlies’ uniforms draw inspiration from the local rap scene, with gold accents, diamond texturing along the numbers and letters, and a “Grizz Grill” icon atop the size tag.

The LA Clippers drafted from the famed Drew League, the pro-am summer hoops league set to observe its 50th anniversary in 2023, and added the league’s tagline, “No Excuse. Just Produce.,” into the design.

After years of fan requests, the Portland Trail Blazers will finally wear a “PDX Carpet”-inspired jersey, with the quirky carpet pattern of the Portland Airport placed across the team’s trademark slanted front panel.

The Milwaukee Bucks will pay tribute to Bronzeville, the city’s historically Black community known for its arts and culture scene. The patchwork design along the side panel of the uniforms draws from the neighborhood’s vibrant murals and art. The team will highlight artists and works from the annual Bronzeville Arts & Cultural Festival in its Fiserv Forum arena.

While most teams will begin wearing their new City Edition jerseys throughout November, the Boston Celtics debuted their Bill Russell tribute design on the opening night of the season.

“The 2022-23 Nike NBA City Edition uniform collection showcases the unique history and culture behind NBA teams, their cities and their shared bond with NBA fans around the world,” said Christopher Arena, head of on-court and brand partnerships at the NBA. “These uniforms are the culmination of a collaborative effort between Nike, NBA teams and the league as we continue our commitment to highlight the local icons and narratives intertwined with our teams and cities that have helped define this league.”