The NBA has released jersey sales numbers from the previous fiscal year, and they came somewhat of a surprise: Russell Westbrook’s jersey outsold Kevin Durant’s. According to the NBA’s release, Westbrook owned the sixth-best selling jersey this past year. Durant finished eighth. Those two, specifically, helped the Oklahoma City Thunder jump to fifth in overall merchandise sales. Of course, with Durant darting for the Golden State Warriors, that could all change in the upcoming season. It’s possible the Thunder take the biggest hit of any team to their merchandise sales.
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Stephen Curry, the two-time reigning MVP, unsurprisingly finished the year with the most popular NBA jersey. He was followed by LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Westbrook, Draymond Green, Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Derrick Rose.
Marc Berman: #Knicks say Derrick Rose will wear the number he donned at Simeon High, 25, which he wore in honor of slain Chicagoan.
Steve Kyler: Pacers released their 50th anniversary logo. https://t.co/iwydgL62ts
James Ham: A video look at the Sacramento Kings Uniform Unveil 360 youtu.be/9DjrtFbG0H0 via @YouTube
The National Basketball Association is embarking on a two-week campaign with on-demand commerce platform Teespring to sell limited edition LGBT Pride month t-shirts. Each NBA team’s logo has been altered to display a rainbow design set on a black background. Shirts are on sale for $24.95 a piece. All proceeds from the sale of the LGBT Pride month shirts will benefit the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Its main mission is to reduce the amount of harassment that occurs at schools based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. “Support from professional sports for LGBT people has been one of the biggest cultural developments of the past five years, and the NBA has consistently led the way,” said GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. “For LGBT fans and players alike, visibility and inclusion in the family of sports remains a key goal. The entire GLSEN family is proud of our longstanding partnership with the NBA, and excited about all of the work we are doing together to make K-12 physical education and athletics – and all of K-12 education – more inclusive and welcoming of LGBT students.”
Before the 2015-16 season began, one team attempted to take the custom jersey game to a whole new level. The Santa Cruz Warriors showed off their Surf City throwback jersey, a nod to the Golden State Warriors’ famous ‘City’ uniform with the Bay Bridge on the front and the cable car on the back.
The front saw a lighthouse with the iconic Giant Dipper roller coaster on the front, with a beach babe riding a surfboard on the back. The jersey received incredible amounts of praise on social media, with fans asking where they could purchase a uniform of their own. The initial plan was to auction off the game-worn jerseys as usual, then have a limited run of them for sale to the general public shortly thereafter.
Fans tuning in to the NBA's Christmas Day games this winter may find themselves experiencing a sense of déjà vu. That's because the NBA's 2016 Christmas Day uniforms are extremely similar to last year's Christmas designs. The 2016 Christmas set won't be officially unveiled until later this year, but the designs are shown in an Adidas catalog that was provided to ESPN.com by an industry source. The designs utilize the same template as the 2015 Christmas uniforms -- including the same chest scripts based on vintage holiday card typography, the same number font, and the same wax seal graphic on the rear collar -- but with a greater emphasis on team colors.
NBA Store: BREAKING: Top 5 Selling Jerseys: 1. Curry. 2. Kobe. 3. LeBron. 4. Porzingis. 5. Durant.
Q: What do you think about the NBA approving advertisements on jerseys for 2017-18? Mark Cuban: “I’m fine with them. Look, we put memorials on jerseys all the time that are just gonna be a little bit smaller than an ad would be and nobody says ‘oh that’s terrible, that distracts from the jersey’ when you’ve got someone who died or did something special. I don’t think it’s gonna change all that much.”
Chris Creamer: Sources: Sacramento Kings will eliminate black w/new logos. @conradburry with the mockups → http://bit.ly/1rdyxg5
Under a three-year pilot program beginning with the 2017-18 season, NBA teams can sell a 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch patch on the front-left area of the team's game jersey. Each team will be responsible for selling its own ads and teams can opt out of the program. Revenues from the patch sales will be shared by all 30 teams. Adam Silver said the league expects to generate $100 million in revenue from the sponsorships.
So what can we expect from the Nets? No one is saying, but Brett Yormark has been a major proponent of the ad sales and the Nets were the first NBA team to take advantage of a league program to sell patches on practice jerseys. Back in 2009, when the Nets were still in New Jersey, they sold the rights to their practice jerseys and coaches shirts--and threw in naming rights for their East Rutherford practice facility as well. It was six figure, two-year deal. The patches, advertising PNY Technologies, were larger than what the NBA is permitting on game jerseys.
And let's not forget who was president of NASCAR when they festooned driver's jackets and the cars themselves with as many logos as could be fit. "Obviously, it’s a league decision, but as someone who spent seven years at NASCAR, I know the value of putting a brand on the playing field and the uniform, so it is certainly something I would support," said Yormark back in March 2012. "You can monetize this in ways you can’t monetize any other kind of marketing inventory. And, of course, we’re in the No. 1 market in the country, so ...
Calvin Watkins: Rockets owner Les Alexander said his franchise was one of two teams voting against putting ads on jerseys.
Jeff Zillgitt: NBA commish Adam Silver has talked with people inside/outside of NC government and believes there is constructive role for NBA to play.
Jeff Zillgitt: Brand Jordan is likely sponsorship ad for Hornets jersey. Hornets owned by Michael Jordan of Brand Jordan.
Brian Mahoney: Silver says Nike logo won't be on Hornets' jerseys because of Jordan. Jordan Brand may be.
Erik Horne: NBA approves sale of jersey sponsorships as part of three-year program starting in 2017-18: https://t.co/twuHSYOpmA
NBA owners at this week’s Board of Governors meeting in New York are expected to approve placing patches with advertising on jerseys starting with the 2017-18 season, two people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until after owners had voted, which is expected to happen on Friday. Placing advertising on NBA jerseys has been discussed for years but has become a reality under NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who in 2014 called the idea inevitable and recently told Rachel Nichols it was manifest destiny.
NBA owners are scheduled to vote this week on putting ads on jerseys for the 2017-18 season, multiple sources told ESPN.
The measure is expected to pass, according to sources. Several teams have begun testing the market to sell the potentially lucrative ads, which would be placed in a 2.5-by-2.5-inch patch on the left shoulder. A proposal was presented to the owners in February during a meeting at the All-Star Game in Toronto with the expectation that a decision would be reached at this week's board of governors meeting, held in New York on Thursday and Friday.
Anthony Puccio: New Long Island Nets jerseys. https://t.co/Fay3jWz7Y2
As is stands, though, the Kobester is King. He took Ohio. Mitchell and Ness revealed their top-selling jerseys for 2015 on Tuesday, and though Larry Bird is the top-ranking jersey in five different states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and, unsurprisingly, Indiana) Bryant remains the company’s top selling jersey overall. Via Deadspin, take a look at the map:
But who holds the title in Oregon? Kobe Bryant (#8) of the Los Angeles Lakers. Yes, you read that right. Who's fault is this? Do we blame the influx of Californians and other transplants, or are Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers really held in higher regard than Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler and other Portland Trail Blazers heroes of yesteryear? To be fair, Mitchell & Ness currently only has one throwback option available for Trail Blazers fans in their online store, a 1983-84 Authentic Clyde Drexler jersey that comes with a whopping $260 price tag. So, perhaps diversifying the options for Blazers fans might help the cause of former Trail Blazers players in our fair state.
The Lakers will wear Kobe Bryant-themed socks in Sunday's game against the Golden State Warriors, marking the first time that an NBA team has ever worn a piece of equipment to honor a current player. The socks were produced by Stance, the NBA's official on-court sock provider, and were inspired and approved by Bryant, who is retiring this summer after his 20th NBA season.
There are three styles of Bryant-themed socks all told, but only one of them will be worn on the court. The other two are complementary fan pieces. The style that will be worn by the Lakers in Sunday's game is called "The Final" -- a purple/gold/white/black set with the number 2 on the right sock and 4 on the left. This likely will not be the last time this season that the Lakers honor Bryant in such a fashion.
The Knicks tread on interesting territory Tuesday night when they wore “Brooklyn” warm-up T-shirts to celebrate another Borough Night promotion. The shirts seemed to put the Brooklyn Nets in an awkward situation. The Knicks also have worn “Staten Island,” “Queens” and “Bronx’’ on the other Borough Nights and will do “Manhattan” night in April. Robin Lopez, whose brother, Brook Lopez, plays for Brooklyn, admitted he was “conflicted’’ about wearing a shirt that reflects their rival’s name.
The Los Angeles Lakers, and a few other teams are opposed to placing advertisements on NBA jerseys, league sources informed cleveland.com. An NBA owners meeting was held Sunday in Toronto during All-Star Weekend, and the topics of ads and deliberate fouling were the central subjects discussed.
The majority of the teams appear to be in favor of ad patches, a source said, but voting on the matter won't occur until April's Board of Governors meeting at the earliest. If ads were sanctioned, they would go into effect for the 2017-18 season, the same year Nike takes over as the league's uniform partner.
Conrad Burry: EXCLUSIVE: According to an adidas catalog, a summary of the new NBA uniforms (designs TBD) for the 2016-17 season: pic.twitter.com/hmL8WPltnC
Conrad Burry: EXCLUSIVE: It appears the Jazz, Kings and Pistons will be receiving new primary logos for the 2016-17 season: pic.twitter.com/hmL8WPltnC
Conrad Burry: If this inclination is true, maybe this mockup will be the new primary logo for the Pistons? pic.twitter.com/3aPQ5YxyjB
Stephen Curry is still on top in jersey sales and Kristaps Porzingis is already making a run at him. Curry remained No. 1 on the NBA's most popular jersey list on Wednesday, followed by LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, who moved up three spots in the final season he will wear his Los Angeles Lakers uniform before retiring.
Porzingis, the New York Knicks' rookie forward from Latvia, debuted at No. 4 and Kevin Durant rounded out the top five.
Eric Smith: top 15 NBA jersey sales in order: Curry, LBJ, Kobe, Porzingis, KD, Rose, Westbrook, Kyrie, Harden, Butler, Klay, George, A-Davis, CP3, Melo
Mark Berman: #Rockets announce team to wear special uniform to celebrate Chinese New Year: Feb6 vs Port,Feb9 at GS, Feb10 at Port https://t.co/rSARhIndFm
Adam Silver, via The Lowe Post podcast: Part of the reason we haven’t moved forward is complications over our revenue-sharing system, that if certain markets did exponentially better than other markets, then it gets complicated. But the way our revenue-sharing system works, it would be a net reduction in revenue for other clubs. And your listeners could say: “Why does that matter?” And the issue is, end of the day, most importantly, we’re trying to create parity in this league. And we don’t want a system where some teams can afford much higher payrolls than other teams. And that’s the biggest concern, that there are a group of teams that feel they will somehow be left behind, that certain markets – and presumably some of the larger markets – will be much more successful in selling – we’re calling it a patch, a logo on a jersey, not the full-out control of the jerseys that you see in European soccer. But they’d be more successful in selling a patch. They would generate more revenue.
Adam Silver, via The Lowe Post podcast: Those lower-revenue-generating teams would not get a substantial enough increase in revenue sharing, and therefore, they would not be able to spend as much on players, on practice facilities, on all the other enhancements necessary to compete for championship teams. And that’s going to be my biggest concern as we continue to address it, ensuring that it doesn’t have any effect whatsoever on teams’ ability to compete.
Josh Lewenberg: One last note from the Lowe podcast: Lowry said Raptors wanted to go with black/gold as primary colours but he & DeRozan spoke up against it
The NBA has unveiled the All-Star uniforms with a salute to Canada, with the game being played in Toronto. Game jerseys will have a patch with the maple leaf and the Raptors alternate logo. In the release, Adidas says part of it is a nod to the first NBA game on Nov. 1, 1946 that pitted the Toronto Huskies vs. the New York Knickerbockers.
“This is the first NBA All-Star Game to be played outside the United States, and it is a very exciting time for basketball in Canada,” said Chris Grancio, adidas global basketball general manager. “To honor this global celebration and pay tribute to Toronto – the site of the NBA’s first game – we’ve incorporated design elements that are inspired by the city’s basketball history, sports culture and unique fashion scene to make an All-Star collection that players and fans will love.”
Arash Markazi: The 2016 NBA All-Star Game uniforms by adidas will have a Kia logo. https://t.co/SGMX5ycocT
On Thursday, December 3rd, when the HEAT take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at AmericanAirlines Arena, the team will formally debut its “Legacy” uniform presented by Tissot and designed in-house by the Miami HEAT Creative Department. The Legacy campaign features HEAT fans in their rightful place—front and center—having not only originated the practice of the color-themed Playoff campaigns, but having taken ownership of the concept unlike fans in any other market.
Mark Medina: Byron chuckled on which Kobe jersey Lakers should retire. No. 8 or 24? Byron: "He's going to have to decide. Both are pretty special."
The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club will honor and retire jerseys for Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups during the 2015-16 season. Wallace will be honored during a halftime ceremony on Saturday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m. when the Pistons host the Golden State Warriors at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Billups will be honored during a halftime ceremony on Wednesday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. when Detroit squares off against the Denver Nuggets at The Palace. “Our franchise has an extraordinary history and it’s important that we recognize the players who not only achieved great things, but also helped define what it means to be a Piston,” said Pistons Owner Tom Gores. “Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace are legends in Detroit and we are excited to honor their success.”
Gores said Wallace and Billups both embodied the spirit and determination of the Detroit community. “While we celebrate their individual accomplishments, it was their selflessness that helped make them so special,” said Gores. “They showed up every day willing to work and sacrifice for the good of the team. They put winning above all else and in the process inspired a generation of Pistons fans.”
Dave Pemberton: #Pistons will retire Ben Wallace's jersey on Jan. 16 against Golden Dtate and Chauncey Billups' jersey on Feb. 10 against Denver.
Steve Popper: Top 8 jerseys selling on NBA.com are 7 Steph Curry variations - and Porzingis. Feel the frenzy: bit.ly/1MMO22y
As of Wednesday afternoon, Modell’s online store was sold out of Porzingis No. 6 jerseys, and the Modell’s store next to MSG was down to nine Porzingis items, according to Dave Brown, a Modell’s license buyer. Brown says that, in advance of Black Friday during the Thanksgiving holiday, Modell’s stores throughout the city will be stocked with Porzingis threads. “Right now, we have Porzingis jerseys in 40 stores in New York. We have a very good amount on the way to the online (Modell’s) store and a very, very large amount on its way to the store next to the Garden,” says Brown. “By next Wednesday, his jerseys will be in all the chain stores in New York and our inventory will quadruple. After (Tuesday’s) win, the sales over three days equaled all the sales from last week.”
The jersey that Michael Jordan wore in his final regular-season game with the Chicago Bulls sold for $173,240 early Sunday. The amount paid is the highest price paid for a Jordan collectible at auction, surpassing Jordan's "flu game" shoes, which was sold last year for just under $105,000.
There was a time when Alonzo Mourning was more adversary than ally for the Heat. That was when he was starting his career with the Charlotte Hornets. Then the center forced his trade to the Heat amid Pat Riley arrival and he become public enemy No. 1 in Charlotte. Now retired and invested in his humanitarian work, Mourning will be honored during a "Buzz City Night" of his own on Feb. 2 when the Heat play in Charlotte. Hornets Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield said Mourning, now the Heat's vice president of player programs, will be cited for his impact on the Charlotte community. Mourning was selected by the Hornets with the No. 2 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons in Charlotte and remains Charlotte's all-time leader in blocks (684) and blocks per game (3.2). The Hornets will wear their black "Buzz City" Pride uniforms the night Mourning is honored.
LeBron James made a drastic adjustment to his uniform Wednesday night when he ripped open the sleeves of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ jersey. But there was another change in his appearance that was obvious to anyone watching. He was wearing shorter shorts. James’s shorts aren’t quite short shorts, and no one would confuse his look with the glorified loincloths that John Stockton and everyone else in the NBA wore decades ago. But the new shape of his shorts—both shorter and skinnier, like the ones someone not named LeBron James might wear on the elliptical—is James’s most notable sartorial choice since he ditched his headband in last year’s playoffs.
The NBA is allowing players to wear special designed red, white and blue socks as part of Hoops for Troops week ... which runs from Nov. 3rd to the 11th. The socks are optional for players ... but it seems only two players in the Lakers vs. Nuggets game opted out ... Kobe and Jameer Nelson.
But our NBA sources tell us ... Kobe wasn't trying to make a political statement -- he simply prefers to wear quarter-length socks and the Hoops for Troops socks were only available in crew length. So, don't worry ... Kobe doesn't hate America -- he just likes to be comfortable.
LeBron James made a drastic adjustment to his uniform Wednesday night when he ripped open the sleeves of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ jersey. But there was another change in his appearance that was obvious to anyone watching. He was wearing shorter shorts. James’s shorts aren’t quite short shorts, and no one would confuse his look with the glorified loincloths that John Stockton and everyone else in the NBA wore decades ago. But the new shape of his shorts—both shorter and skinnier, like the ones someone not named LeBron James might wear on the elliptical—is James’s most notable sartorial choice since he ditched his headband in last year’s playoffs.
How short are James’s shorts? The Count took out our measuring tape and sized them up. The average length of James’s shorts this year has been approximately two inches shorter than they were last year, according to a review of photographs of James standing upright during games, and the bottoms of his shorts have been four inches farther from the floor.
Now, after years of shorts that sagged lower and lower, they’re finally inching back up. NBA rules require game shorts to lay no lower than one inch above the top of the knee, a league spokesman said, though compression shorts aren’t supposed to be visible. But maybe it was only a matter of time before shorts were short—or at least shorter. NBA players, after all, have become some of the most fashionable men on earth, and men’s shorts of the moment have crept several inches above the knee.
The Cavs debuted a new black alternative sleeved jersey against New York, the team's fifth uniform through its first five games, and James chose to do something about the league choosing fashion over function. "I was just frustrated with myself, I was just off rhythm a lot tonight, and the jersey was the only thing I could go to," James said. "I couldn't do nothing to my face."
James abstained from more criticism when asked further questions about the uniforms. "I don't know, it might be mental, man," James said. "It's OK. The jerseys are nice. We love the jerseys. The black looks great. It's been awhile since this franchise has worn black. So it's great to be out there and wear those uniforms. I was in my own way. I was frustrated with my shot, I couldn't make a bucket, so like I said, I had to take it out on something."
Sole Collector: And @LeBron James just put an end to sleeved jerseys. vine.co/v/eLMHZhV1Z9A
The Pistons will unveil their new chrome jerseys tonight. At least one player isn’t keen on the look. “I like sick uniforms,” Johnson said. “I think the colors that we have, the blue and white is pretty good, but the chrome is a different look.
In honor of Steve Nash's induction into the Suns Ring of Honor on Friday, October 30, the team will wear Stance socks with Steve Nash's face on them. STEVE. NASH'S. FACE! The Suns will be the first ever NBA team to wear a player's image during a game. We caught up with Suns Equipment Manager Jay Gaspar for the details.
Ben Golliver: Cleveland Cavaliers officially unveil three alternate jerseys for 2015-16, including black sleeved version https://t.co/T0pFNyn2BU
The San Antonio Spurs unveiled today their Black Signature Spur jerseys that will be worn during the 2015-16 NBA season. The new black alternate uniform’s efficient jersey design simply features the iconic Spurs logo prominently over the heart, while the player numbers rest on the right breast. The uniforms feature silver panels with silver, black and white trim and the accompanying shorts also include the Spur logo on each side.
The Detroit Pistons will sport a new alternate jersey during the upcoming 2015-16 season. The inspiration for the Detroit Chrome jerseys came about as a way to honor our coolest cars from the past and the cars of the future. Detroit is universally known as the auto capitol of the world, where chrome leaves an indelible mark on the cars we create. The uniforms feature a matte chrome base color with clean simple lines inspired by the classic muscle cars that have roared up and down Woodward Avenue for decades. The navy trim and Detroit emblazoned across the chest represent the blue collar work ethic that the auto industry and region was built on.
Jorge Castillo: #Wizards announce they will wear "Baltimore Pride" jerseys -- worn by Bullets 1969-73 -- for 6 games this season. http://t.co/7SXfc59ZJw
The Oklahoma City Thunder today revealed a third alternate uniform for 2015-16. The team will first wear its new sunset-colored alternates on Sunday, Nov. 1, at Chesapeake Energy Arenaagainst the Denver Nuggets. The new uniform’s bold color pairs with “OKC” in navy block lettering on the front to showcase the team’s hometown pride and reflect the saturated, blended colors of the Oklahoma skies at sunset.
The team announced Thursday it will wear retro Hardwood Classic uniforms for six games during the 2015-16 season. While the Cavaliers will unveil an "assortment" of special uniforms for the seasons at a later date, it's believed the team will wear the gold "Miracle of Richfield" uniforms for those six nights. The Cavs last wore the uniforms -- featuring the familiar wine, gold and white checkerboard pattern down the sides -- as Hardwood Classics back in 2005.
The Pacers will debut their new Hickory Huskers uniforms Nov. 6 at home against Miami. Team officials announced Tuesday that they will be worn 10 times this season. Indiana is making the change to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie "Hoosiers."
Anthony Davis: New @New Orleans Pelicans Mardi Gras jerseys... what do y'all think? http://t.co/72QpSz6Lbc
Jonathan Feigen: Dwight says uniform is tight, but Motiejunas points out that's how Howard likes it. Black won't be worn until 16-17. http://t.co/W7FjXRFWmU
