The NBA's City Jerseys Are So Fantastic

Basketball, as you probably know, is the best sport. But if you need more evidence, here’s the proof: the fourth and final installment of Nike’s special-edition NBA team uniforms.

The previous releases had loose themes begging for some interpretation (“Association,” “Icon,” and “Statement”). This one is straightforward: “City.” All 30 teams are unveiling jerseys with logos and emblems that reference the place where they play. The new designs are loaded with details that only a local will get. The Cleveland Cavaliers jersey, for example, boasts “THE LAND” across its breast—another nickname for The CLE. The notes get subtler: The jersey also features a chevron whose shape hails from the giant Guardians of Transportation statues that grace the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.