When you make as many variations of teams’ jerseys, you’re bound to miss the mark at some point – and the NBA has seemingly reached it.
As each of the 30 franchises unveil their NBA city edition jerseys for the 2023-24 season, basketball fans are becoming increasingly more disappointed at the design of the kits this time around.
In most years, NBA city edition jerseys tend to be some of the more popular sellers for the league, but first impression of this season’s collection can definitely be described as an air-ball.
This is the NBA’s seventh iteration of ‘city edition’ jerseys – an alternative fit that represents the uniqueness of each of the cities the franchises are based in – in their partnership with Nike.
Previously we have ranked the top 10 all-time NBA city edition jerseys that fans love, but it would be fair to say that not a single one of these jerseys could crack that list.
But that is just what the majority of NBA fans are saying, why not take a look for yourself at the NBA city edition jerseys for the 2023-24 season.
NBA city edition jerseys 2023-24
Atlanta Hawks
This year’s NBA city edition jerseys for the Hawks will pay tribute to the franchises time in St. Louis with a light blue strip down the side of the jersey – one of the colours of team back in the 1960s.
Boston Celtics
Supposed to be a nod to the creator of basketball, Dr. James Naismith, the Celtics’ design this season has a cream and dark green tone with a wooden floor texture strip.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have partnered with local Brooklyn artists Brian Donnelly, known professionally as KAWS, to blend the usual black and grey colour scheme with teal, blue and red.
Charlotte Hornets
After a couple of seasons absent, the ‘Buzz City’ title has returned for the Hornets NBA City Edition jerseys, with a simple blend of teal, turquoise and gold colours.
Chicago Bulls
Quite possibly the most bland of the NBA city edition jerseys this time around, the Bulls designs pays respect to the ‘Chicago’ font on the facade of the Chicago Stadium – the teams home from 1967-94 known as “The Madhouse on Madison”.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Once again the Cavs will feature ‘The Land’ on the front of their jerseys with the intriguing part of the outfit being the pattern on the collar and arm holes which are inspired by the carpet at the Connor Palace in Ohio.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks jerseys is a nod to singer, songwriter and record producer Leon Bridges with his signature down the bottom of the kit, classic soul-style font and a musical staff on the side panel.
Denver Nuggets
The ‘5280’ represents the amount of feet in a mile which alludes to the city’s nickname the ‘Mile High City’.
Detroit Pistons
Detroit’s NBA city edition jerseys are inspired by the ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ of the late ’80s and the popular shirts about the two-time champions. Those shirts displayed a basketball behind a skull and crossbones, which can be seen on the side of the jerseys.
Golden State Warriors
A random but interesting design this time around is the Warriors city edition fit that is reportedly inspired by the city’s cable car tracks with the stripes down the side and curved font to represent the steep hills they climb.
Houston Rockets
Not Houston’s best design, but it seems to recognise franchise greats Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, with their signatures and the colour scheme of their championship winning team.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have opted for a spray paint style with no explanation as to why by early-November. Basketball fans are rating this as the worst of the NBA city edition jerseys for this season.
Los Angeles Clippers
It’s unclear what the smaller details on this jerseys means, however, the wordmark across the chest is based on the team’s 1978-82 logo.
Los Angeles Lakers
Usually when the Lakers release a black coloured outfit, fans are obsessed but its unclear right now how people will react. The triangle-shaped font was used just after the team relocated from Minneapolis.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis have been known for creating great NBA city edition jerseys, but this time they’ve gone way too simple with an “MEM” logo across the chest with a boring white collar.
Miami Heat
The often spoken about ‘heat culture‘ has made its way on the a jersey with Miami opting to create a stripped-down version of their Icon jersey.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are paying homage to the Hoan Bridge with a cream-coloured arched that breaks up the predominately blue jersey.
Minnesota Timberwolves
A city jersey always some connection to the city the team is based in (obviously), but the Timberwolves are dedicating this one to their entire state nicknamed ‘The Land of 10,000 Lakes’ with a water texture pattern on the kit.
New Orleans Pelicans
A step down from past NBA city edition jerseys, the Pelicans have gone for a black unit with hints of purple bordering the green highlights.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have met the assignment in our books with this pinstripe ‘New York, New York’ kit. The black side panels pay respect to their 1997-2001 jerseys.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Like many teams, the Thunder have gone away from their primary colour (blue) to go for an orange and yellow theme with various parts of their uniform history sublimated in the design.
Orlando Magic
Orlando has taken cues from their original road uniforms in the late 80s with pinstripes and an almost Dallas Cowboys aesthetic.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers unveiled this jersey had the Reading Terminal Market which is what the jersey pays respect to with the font similar to the of the neon sign outside of the market.
Phoenix Suns
A disappointing step in the wrong direction for the Suns in our opinion with the ‘El Valle’ jerseys that has pinstripes down the side that are reminiscent of a lowrider – a customised car rooted in Mexican-American culture.
Portland Trail Blazers
Once again the Blazers will honour Hall of Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay with a plaid ‘Rip City’ wordmark that is a nod to the coach’s plaid jackets he predominately wore during the franchises run to the 1977 NBA title.
Sacramento Kings
Inspired from the franchises time as the Cincinnati Royals, this Kings jersey features a vertical ‘Kings’ wordmark with player numbers on the chest.
San Antonio Spurs
A throwback colour scheme of faded orange and brown celebrates the 55th anniversary of HemisFair ’68 (also known as the 1968 World’s Fair or International Exposition).
Toronto Raptors
This years NBA city edition jerseys for the Raptors pulls inspiration for multiple eras of the side’s history with the ‘Toronto’ wordmark mimicking the 2015-20 team, and the jagged pinstripes throwing it back to the 1995-99 team.
Utah Jazz
Utah’s old school purple theme is one of the most iconic in NBA history and this year the Jazz have brought it back with a modern, simple twist on the mountains.
Washington Wizards
Some are suggesting that the ‘copper and green’ colour is a nod to the statues around the nation’s capital that have oxidised over time.
