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Brianna Williams, ESPNDec 23, 2024, 08:59 AM ET
The NBA Christmas Day slate of games is always a gift, but a certain tradition has been missing from the holiday season in recent years: Christmas jerseys.
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So, what happened?
The answer is simple: Nike took over the NBA’s uniform contract from Adidas in 2017 and did not continue the festive looks of its predecessor.
Bah, humbug.
Despite its absence, Nike offers a variety of uniform combinations with its four jersey editions: Association, Icon, City and Statement.
Nike’s decision hasn’t stopped fans and players from missing the Yuletide attire.
On Christmas Eve last year, LeBron James, who will play on Christmas for the 18th season in a row, weighed in on the matter.
This was amazing!! . I do wish we had Xmas day uniforms across the league still. Wonder why it stopped. 🤷️ https://t.co/A73AF7Dnn0
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 24, 2023
Nike, undeterred by the Los Angeles Lakers star’s plea, does not have a plan for the fad to return.
“We like the assortment we have now. The storytelling we’re able to tell is really robust,” Nike said in 2021, per Nick DePaula.
In the meantime, here’s a look down memory (or candy cane) lane at the short-lived holiday ensembles:
2008-11: Snowflakes
The New York Knicks wore their St. Patrick’s Day jerseys against the Miami Heat in order to support the red and green theme. Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
It all began with a white snowflake around the logo on the front of teams’ jerseys. The league also made an effort to feature teams with primarily red and green colors.
2012: Big color
These jerseys were introduced in the NBA’s Christmas commercial that featured Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, Russell Westbrook and Dwyane Wade dribbling to the tune of “Carol of the Bells.” Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
This monochromatic color scheme formally introduced the holiday trend on the 65th anniversary of Christmas Day NBA games.
2013: Big logo
Several players insisted that the sleeved jerseys negatively impacted their shooting. Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
The large, centered logo was intended to be the look’s focal point, but the sleeves ended up taking most of the attention. Although the uniforms were 26% lighter than the traditional NBA jersey, players claimed the extra fabric affected their shooting. The T-shirt jersey also made an appearance in the All-Star Game.
Overall, these were not received well by NBA X, including Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki.
Call me old school but these jerseys with sleeves are awful…..
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) December 25, 2013
2014: First-name basis
Adidas said in a statement that the first names were featured “as a nod to [players’] familiarity and popularity with the NBA fan base around the world.” Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
For the first time in this trend, the back of the jersey was the standout feature. Players’ first names were placed on a panel below their numbers for this edition’s defining design.
2015: Christmas cards
This style included primary team colors and cream tones with names and numbers woven in holiday-style lettering. Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
This year’s jerseys were inspired by greeting cards with seasonal script with cursive lettering. This design was by far the most beloved of the collection.
2016: Christmas cards II
The last edition of the Christmas jerseys featured the only design that was used twice. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
The style was so popular that the festive font returned for a second — and final — year.
