NBA Nike “Statement” Jersey Rankings
October 16, 2017
Recently, Nike released the alternate jerseys, or the “Statement” jerseys, for every team in the league. In case you missed it, Adidas’s jersey contract with the NBA ended after last season and Nike is the new official partner. With the new deal of course came new jersey designs for every NBA team’s Home, Away, and Alternate designs. Some teams have received serious upgrades while others either look the same or are sending 2 am “You up?” texts to Adidas after seeing what Nike is making them wear for 82 games this season. I personally ranked every Nike Statement jersey from the cleanest to those that are actual dumpster fires. Check out the list below, and if you disagree with me, send me an angry tweet or something. @tailgateboss_
1. Indiana Pacers
Fun Fact: Indiana actually traded Paul George for these bitchin’ jerseys. The circular logo for the text is stupid clean and keeping the same navy blue and gold was a must. Absolute stellar way to immediately bounce back after loosing Jeff Teague and Paul George for practically nothing.
2. Golden State Warriors
Damn it, Golden State wins at everything.
3. Boston Celtics
Black Celtics jerseys are classic don’t fight me on this. Still wish I bought a black and green KG jersey.
4. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are slowly getting back to wearing old school jerseys (and having a winning season). This all yellow version of the rainbow jerseys are prime. I approve.
Also, I’m begging the Nuggets to make these fan made jerseys a reality.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavs still suck but these are nice af.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC has been getting a lot of hate for these jerseys and I can kind of see why. I know these might seem like generic Air Jordan youth basketball jerseys that you could buy at Target, or even what your character on NBA Street Vol. 2 might wear when you start career mode (I love and miss that game so much), but at the end of the day these are still fuego. The bright orange just pops off the blue and slightly lighter blue background and the small, yet noticeable, break in the OKC lettering makes this jersey one of my favorites for sure. Plus the thin light blue stripes on the back of the jersey below George’s name and number are just too nice. Whether you like this jersey or not chances are the Thunder are going to mop the floor with your favorite team at least once this year.
7. Chicago Bulls
The black Bulls jerseys are yet another classic NBA jersey. This is already the highlight of the 2017-18 Bulls season.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Even though these are the same color as green skittles, I somehow still like them a lot.
9. Philadelphia 76ers
Just when you thought Philadelphia’s Home and Away jerseys couldn’t be beat. Also, I wish I could see every Philadelphia fan’s face when they realize their jerseys are ranked worse than Minnesota’s skittles jerseys and OKC’s AAU U12 jerseys.
10. Atlanta Hawks
The new era Hawks jerseys have been slowly growing on me lately, but please for the love of god lose the hideous neon yellow.
11. Orlando Magic
These are nice. Black with royal blue pinstripes looks insanely sharp. Kind of reminds me of the Dwight Howard era. Also, HUGE shoutout to Disney for sponsoring the Magic, that just makes this jersey too perfect. Solid new rookie, fresh new faces from free agency, dunk contest king, and nice new jerseys? Keep doing you Orlando.
12. Brooklyn Nets
When the Nets officially relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, I was immediately on the hype train for the franchise because I had a feeling they would have some of the nicest jerseys in the league. Since then, I’ve always felt something was a little off with the Nets jerseys. They were nice, but not “I’m not even a Nets fan but I need that jersey” nice. This Nike Statement jersey, on the other hand, is what I was hoping for 5 years ago. Solid, almost matte black color, Brooklyn without the vowels and the R, but Y is still there because fuck it it’s kind of a vowel but not really, and the off white, almost like a super light gray is just beyond fly. First pivotal moment for the Nets franchise since they traded away their hopes and dreams for Paul Pierce and KG.
13. New Orleans Pelicans
Red NOP jerseys are the best NOP jerseys.
14. Charlotte Hornets
Purple and teal is a GOAT combo. Also having Michael Jordan’s team rep the Air Jordan logo rather than the Nike logo, like every other team in the league has, is one of the strongest power moves I’ve ever seen. MJ > LeBron forever.
15. New York Knicks
The white jerseys with the classic bright orange and blue will always be an iconic NBA jersey, no matter how pathetic the Knicks season might be. That being said, this is the only good part of the Knicks season this year.
16. Detroit Pistons
I’m shook. The gray jersey is somehow both dope and boring at the same time. Part of me wants to buy one, yet part of me thinks their meh. But for real though, the Pistons roster looks solid this year.
Avery Bradley for DOPY.
17. Phoenix Suns
Needs a ton more purple, but still dope. The longer I look at these, the more disappointed I get. However, the all orange Suns jerseys they wore last year easily redeem this. I personally would’ve liked to see something like a throwback to the Charles Barkley-era jerseys. Those were easily an elite-tier NBA jersey.
18. Washington Wizards
Nothing new but still nice. Not gonna lie, if the Wizards tried to pull a fast one and released all black “funeral jerseys” for Celtics games I would’ve lost my shit. New era logos are still 12x better than what MJ and Arenas used to wear in the 2000s.
19. Houston Rockets
Chinese New Year jerseys are better.
20. Memphis Grizzlies
Would rather have Vancouver throwbacks. Also, I constantly forget that Allen Iverson played for the Grizzlies once…. just thought I’d throw that in there.
21. Milwaukee Bucks
The Harley Davidson sponsorship is no bueno. I get they probably got a small fortune form Harley Davidson, but that is one ugly ass logo to put on a black, green, and cream colored jersey. At least make the logo all white so it looks a little better, I guarantee people will still recognize it without that Duracell AAA battery orange color on the jersey. Also shame on the Bucks for not getting PBR to sponsor them. Can you imagine how perfect PBR or some cheese company sponsoring the MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN BASED Bucks would’ve been. Or what about if the Packers sponsored them? I’m not even sure if a pro team can sponsor another pro team, but the Packers sponsoring the Bucks is the most Wisconsin thing I can possibly imagine. Product placement that perfect is literally what dreams are made of. I guarantee I would’ve shed tears of joy while buying 15 different jerseys. Take a note from the Disney World sponsored Orlando Magic, Milwaukee.
Lastly, it would be the biggest power move if the Bucks threw on “Fear the Deer” somewhere on the jersey. Could be anywhere, even on the inside like a reversible jersey, but having that absolutely stellar marketing campaign on the statement jersey would shoot the Bucks from 21 best jersey to 1-30. There would be no reason to discuss any other jersey, just 30 different takes about how much I love everything about the new Bucks jersey. #FeartheDeer.
22. Miami Heat
Same as the Wizards; nothing all that new, but still nice. Also, Hassan Whiteside won the twitter beef against Joel Embiid, just saying.
23. Toronto Raptors
Can’t believe I’m saying this but I wish Nike collabed with OVO for the statement jerseys. A black and gold version of this would’ve been straight fire. Also, the Huskies throwbacks and 2000s purple Raptors jersey will always be the greatest Raptors jerseys.
24. Los Angeles Clippers
The new white Home Nike jerseys are a ton better than this.
25. Sacramento Kings
The the baby blue throwbacks are still better. Also, I love how the Kings wear jerseys that just say SAC on them. Simply fantastic.
26. Portland Trailblazers
The random black line on the bottom left corner is an eye sore to say the least. Next time you try to make new black and red jerseys Portland, ask AC Milan to make them for you.
27. Dallas Mavericks
L. Bring back the old school Dirk jerseys.
28. Los Angeles Lakers
Bruh, this is deadass just the Away jersey on 2K16.
29. San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio, you are way too good to be wearing the nasty all gray jerseys. Treat these like Tim Duncan’s number and retire them for good. I would expect the Nets to do something like this, but the Spurs? C’mon you’re better than this.
30. Utah Jazz
You’re joking right. I want to know which millionaire executives at the Utah Jazz and Nike saw this mockup and said, “Damn that’s heat”. In fact, I want to see the failed mockups that led them to pick this pathetic excuse for a jersey to be an official NBA jersey. It’s 2017 and the Utah Jazz still think these ugly ass yellow, green, and blue jerseys are better than their old school purple and white jerseys that Malone and Stockton used to rock when the Jazz were actually good. No wonder why Gordon Hayward left Utah so quick, he probably saw these jerseys before Boston reached out to him.
Also, I’m gonna need the contact info for whoever made this statement jersey asap, because I’m mad. I’m literally grinding my ass off everyday trying to make Tailgate Sports the next big thing yet this “graphic designer” took a yellow warm up jersey from Play It Again Sports, threw on a Jazz logo, and called it a day and is easily getting paid $60K/year to do so. I’m done. Have fun with your 0 championships and half assed jerseys Utah.
Written by Erik Clark
