John Kim For decades, the formula for NBA fan gear has been pretty straightforward: take a team logo, put it across the chest of a hoodie, sweatshirt, or T-shirt, and call it a day.
Nike wants to shake that up with the new NBA Standard Issue Collection, a reimagined take on team gear for all 30 teams through a decidedly more streetwear-focused lens. Pairing oversized silhouettes with unconventional logo placements, blown-up graphics, and more expressive treatments of familiar team identities, Nike is bringing a much needed edge to repping the squad.
Rather than simply shrinking or enlarging the same graphics across different garments, each team receives its own set of design details. Some pieces go intentionally loud, allowing oversized logos and graphics to dominate the front and back, while others offer a quieter interpretation for fans who don’t necessarily want their allegiance visible from across the street.
NBA players will wear pieces from the Standard Issue Collection during warm-ups, practices, and team travel, and for the first time, fans will be able to purchase the same products worn by players. The official lookbook below features some of the game’s rising stars, including the Thompson twins, Ace Bailey, Scottie Barnes, AJ Dybantsa, and Jalen Johnson.
The collection was developed with input from more than 400 elite high school hoopers, 100 NBA players, all 30 teams, and basketball fans around the world. That influence shows up in the looser proportions and more fashion-conscious approach, but performance hasn’t disappeared entirely; Aero-Fit, Dri-FIT, stretch materials, and Nike’s “bouncy fleece” are incorporated alongside premium touches like custom hardware, braided drawcords, and woven labels.
There’s another component coming to the court as well. Nike is introducing new Specter Edition uniforms for eight franchises whose histories stretch back to the NBA’s earliest chapters, including the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, 76ers, Pistons, Hawks, and Kings.
The Nike NBA Standard Issue Collection launches in two waves on September 15th and October 12th through Nike, the NBA Store, and select retailers. Specter Edition uniforms and corresponding apparel will follow later this fall.
