With one player representing each team in the league, 30 NBA players emerged from behind the scenes to officially unveil the Nike’s latest partnership with NBA. For the hometown, Julius Randle represented the Lakers while Blake Griffin donned the Clippers gear. From the Finals MVP, Kevin Durant to Rookie, Frank Ntilikina, the athletes were out in full force for the unveiling.
The introduction presentation was exhilarating as the three 50-foot digital screens started to show the history of the game of basketball. To put the cherry on top, it was narrated by none other than Los Angeles’ own, Kobe Bryant. As soon as the video ended, the digital screens began to part unlocking the stage and unveiled the “Association” jerseys.
As a surprise, Travis Scott slid into the room on a moving platform to emphatically perform hits like “Pick Up the Phone”, “Goosebumps”, “Antidote”, and “Butterfly Effect”. Scott is from Houston and was wearing Chris Paul’s Association jersey on stage.
The Gear
Utilizing their experience with the NCAA basketball teams and the USA National Basketball Team, Nike really created the jerseys with the player’s performance in mind. Kurt Parker, Nike VP of Apparel Design brought his expertise to the table and gave us the specifics with the apparel. First off, the jerseys are optimized to be lighter and to create less friction than previous editions. A new fabric called the Alpha Yarn was developed and is used in collaboration with polyester to create a moisture wicking material.
On the inside, the material also creates nodes that allow the jersey to sit off the skin so it doesn’t stick when sweating excessively. On the back of the jerseys, you’ll notice the stitching and construction of the panels hanging off the shoulder close to the shoulder blades. Generally, it runs across the top of the shoulder (like an average tee shirt) but Nike eliminated this friction point.
The jerseys will also have an NFC chip embedded into the jock-tag. With the chip there, it’ll allow users to download the NikeConnect app and to get started. Personalized and curated content will then be unlocked. In the demo, we were able to see live game updates, stats, a 2K and Spotify integration, and easy access highlights.
Also taking that same mindset into play, the shorts were heavily adjusted. The waistband was altered and now features a mesh to streamline the ventilation. Along the sides of the shorts, they’ll feature a triangle shaped cut to allow maximum mobility. As an extra touch of sweetness, most shorts will have a logo in the center of the waistband too.
The new warm-up jackets (Therma Flex Showtime Warm-up Jacket) will feature something unseen before, a hood. Often while wearing a hoodie, it can act as blinders and muffle sounds. Now, it is properly designed to allow players to see from the peripherals and to hear their teammates while the hood is up and on. The warm-ups will help regulate body heat.
Lakers jerseys up close. #NIKExNBA pic.twitter.com/Zr9daqo3NQ
— Kicksologists (@kicksologists) September 16, 2017
Just in time for the NBA season opener, Nike announced that the jerseys will be available, Friday, September 29th while Footlocker has committed to an October 12th date. For the swingman jerseys, expect a $110 price tag and $200 for the authentic.
Check out the NBA Statement jerseys below!