Nike have just done it.
They’ve just taken the ball off Adidas, pushed them out of bounds and just dunked it to become the official uniform provider of the National Basketball Association for the 2017/2018 season and beyond.
Get ready for all the new jerseys from your favourite teams like those dreaded new sponsorship ones (lets face it the Orlando Magic kingdom ‘Disney’ shoulder ads are the only ones that really fit).
Indiana have just got the ball rolling with their new Nikes that keep Pace with the sports giant that Jordan Air branded and recently provided Team USA’s uniform for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.
But if you’re looking forward to seeing the Jumpman logo on your new jerseys than you will have to just settle for the swoosh now…or wait for Charlotte.
Indiana in fact have completely rebranded their Pacers franchise. Fittingly in the wake of superstar Paul George and his best Nike sneakers in the games (you’ll never beat those navy and yellow colourways, even if they do go purple and gold one day) trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder. New Pacers Oladipo (although you can see how he looks on this team on some new NBA 2K18 stock images) and Sabonis weren’t on hand to introduce these duds in a playground park in Indy’s Riverwest Streetfest. But future, next gen talent like big-man Myles Turner and big-dog son Glen Robinson III were.
And of course Indiana Pacers legend Lance Stephenson. The And 1 endorsee raving so much about these new Nike jerseys that he vowed to buy himself a jersey before he gets chance to play in one.
Slow your money roll Lance…I’m sure they’ll just provide you with your own one for free…I mean that is your name on the back.
Although the last Pacers set of uniforms were undeniable and amongst the best in the association. These new joints are arguably the most innovative since the Golden State Dubs’ tram line duds. Certainly continuing the hallmark line from Indiana that most recently honoured their Hoosiers with those red and gold Hickory specials. Can you say throwback? Because the last set of Indiana Pacers home, road and alternative now go into the history book, trophy cabinet closet with those Yankee like pinstripes from the New York Knick choking clutch Reggie Miller days.
These new era association and icon edition navy and whites may be missing a yellow crop, but these trimmed borders feature the whole Indiana Pacers franchises name around their player number. And you just know the successes of the last team to do this. Finally a fitting design on the shorts pays homage to the farmland state of Indiana like the franchises new secondary logo and the court motto that takes it all the way back to running the picket fence, ‘We Grown Basketball Here’.
What a way for basketball giants Nike to plant their first thread of their next generation of in game garments.
With all due respect to the amazing superstars of Adidas, the shell toes had a great run but now it’s time to fly. And with Nike you can just do that. This is it.
