The NBA has officially revealed this season’s “City Edition” jerseys for all 30 teams, which will make their debuts during the league’ inaugural in-season tournament.
The jerseys are designed with history in mind, each looking to pay tribute to the unique pasts of each franchise.
Both of Los Angeles’ teams will debut their new jerseys in the coming days as part of the tipoff of the NBA’s newest creation: the in-season tournament.
For their City Edition kit, the Los Angeles Lakers will be wearing jerseys with a black base, highlighted by their iconic purple and gold lettering. This design, while modern, also incorporates a throwback element with team’s name written in a triangle wordmark, which the team says is reminiscent of their early years on the West Coast in the 1960s.
The numbers are stylized after the 1999-2017 era jerseys — a period in which the Lakers won five NBA Championships.
Those jerseys will make their on-court debut on Nov. 14, in the team’s in-season tournament contest against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Meanwhile, the crosstown Los Angeles Clippers are going with a “Pacific Blue” color scheme, representing the team’s “nautical heritage,” the essence of the Pacific coast and the Clippers’ connection to the city. What makes the Clippers’ jersey stand out is the custom design by local artist Jonas Wood, highlighting the NBA’s commitment to art and culture within the community.
The jersey was designed by local artist Jonas Wood, who drew on previous designs the team used when they called San Diego home in the 1970s and early ’80s.
Most notably, breaking with current concepts, the jersey features an abbreviated team nickname with a custom-drawn wordmark that reads: Clips.
“It’s been in Ohio as early as the mid-1850s at least, brought in as an ornamental plant because of its unique foliage and white flowers,” Gardner said. “It was actually planted in people’s landscaping, and it has been spreading.”
The City Edition jerseys are supposed to acts as more than just sportswear; they embody a team’s heritage, culture and connection to its fans, showcasing the unique stories that define each franchise.
These Clippers jersey will make their first on-court appearance Nov. 12, oddly enough, also against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament tips off on Friday.