The NBA’s Christmas Day lineup is always a treat, but there’s been a notable absence from recent holiday celebrations: Christmas jerseys.
So, what led to this?
The explanation is straightforward: Nike assumed the NBA’s uniform contract from Adidas in 2017 and opted not to carry on the festive designs of its forerunner.
Bah humbug.
Nevertheless, Nike presents a range of uniform assortments with its four jersey variations: Association, Icon, City and Statement.
Yet, that hasn’t prevented fans and players from longing for the holiday apparel.
Last year, LeBron James, who will hit the court on Christmas for the 19th consecutive season this year, expressed his thoughts on the issue.
Not having Xmas day unis anymore really sucks! That was a great feeling walking into the locker room and seeing those. It was literally like receiving a 🎁! Whomp whomp! 🤷🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 25, 2024
Nike, unfazed by the Los Angeles Lakers star’s request, has no intentions of reviving the trend.
«We appreciate the variety we have currently. The storytelling we can convey is quite substantial,» Nike stated in 2021, per Nick DePaula.
Let’s stroll down memory (or candy cane) lane to revisit the brief holiday ensembles:
2008-11: Snowflakes
It all started with a white snowflake around the logo on the front of teams’ jerseys. The league also aimed to spotlight teams with primarily red and green hues.
2012: Big color
This monochrome color theme officially launched the holiday trend during the 65th anniversary of Christmas Day NBA games.
2013: Big logo
The oversized, centered logo was meant to be the design’s highlight, but the sleeves ended up garnering most of the attention. Despite being 26% lighter than the standard NBA jersey, players reported that the added fabric influenced their shooting. The t-shirt jersey also appeared in the All-Star Game.
In general, these were not well-received among NBA X, including Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki.
Call me old school but these jerseys with sleeves are awful…..
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) December 25, 2013
2014: First-name basis
For the first time throughout this trend, the back of the jersey took center stage. Players’ first names were displayed on a panel beneath their numbers in this edition’s defining style.
2015: Christmas cards
This year’s uniforms drew inspiration from greeting cards featuring cursive lettering in a seasonal script. This design was undoubtedly the most cherished among the collection.
2016: Christmas cards II
The style was so well-received that the festive font made a comeback for a second — and last — year.
