Initially, basketball players wore any form of athletic clothing like tracksuits and football uniforms. But, at the start of the 20th century, players began to wear their official uniforms. The players used to wear NBA jerseys and short shorts. It wasn’t until the legend Michael Jordan requested his team Chicago Bulls’ manufacturer, Champion, to drop the seam. After this, the rest of the players followed his lead and got more comfortable long, baggy shorts.
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Types of NBA jerseys
Since then, there haven’t been any big changes to the design of the NBA jersey. However, in 2013, NBA and its apparel partner Adidas introduced sleeved jerseys. Players didn’t like this idea. LeBron James even tore his sleeves during one of his games.
In the 1980s, the NBA started to sell jerseys to fans. Since then, it has become a typical wardrobe for fans who come to watch the game live. There are a lot of young Americans who started to wear jerseys as regular clothing. These NBA jerseys sell like hotcakes. If you want to purchase an NBA jersey, here are some of the types that you can go for:
1.On-court jerseys
Compared to all the other jerseys, these have to be the most expensive ones as they are the original version. Also, the on-court jerseys are worn by the NBA players while they are playing the game. This is the reason behind its massive price tag. There are not many fans who can afford this collectible item, and even when they do, they are not supposed to wear it or else it will lose its value.
2.Replica jerseys
Replica jerseys are the regular uniforms of the NBA teams that most fans purchase. They are made to appear like the on-court jerseys. But, the player name, team’s wordmark, and logo are screen printed. The material of this jersey is good quality, and it is affordable.
3.Swingman jerseys
Swingman jerseys can be considered a better copy of the on-court jerseys and an upgraded version of the replica jerseys. Also, since it is made using performance-based materials, it is more comfortable than replicas. Some of the Swingman jerseys include the modern NBA uniform styles and Hardwood Classics. Since they have a sophisticated design and are made of higher quality materials, they cost more than replica jerseys.
4.Authentic jerseys
Authentic jerseys are copies of the real NBA jersey that the players are wearing during their game. It is made of the same materials and has the cutes, trims, and aesthetic details as the on-court jerseys. That is why they cost more than the Swingman jerseys.
5.Throwback jerseys
Also known as retro, vintage, old school, and Hardwood Classic, these Throwback jerseys are copies of old jerseys, mostly from a decade ago. You can use this to take a walk down memory lane and remember your favourite player or team during their golden years. It is possible to get these throwback jerseys in swingman, replica, and authentic versions.
6.Blood set jerseys
All the NBA equipment managers carry a few extra jerseys during each game for emergencies. This way, if a player’s jersey gets ripped, they can wear one. If this is not used, it becomes the G.I jerseys.
7.Game-issued (G.I.) jersey
The jerseys that aren’t used during the game are the Game-issued jerseys. They mostly are from the blood sets. Some of these come from the set produced for players who get injured or sidelined before they have the chance to use it.
If you are a true NBA fan, having a jersey in your closet is a must, and it doesn’t matter if it is authentic, swingman, or a replica. All of these NBA jerseys are available in different sizes so that you can show support to your team no matter what.
