Nike’s retro NBA All-Star jerseys pay tribute to basketball's roots

Nike has dressed NBA players each year since taking over as the basketball league’s official outfitter in 2017, but this year’s uniforms take on a special meaning as the NBA celebrates its 75th anniversary. For the All-Star season — including the All-Star Game, Clorox Rising Stars, and Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game — Nike unveiled a slew of jerseys that connect to different pieces of basketball culture, designed by the brand and its subsidiaries Jordan Brand and Converse.

Each uniform boasts an updated mesh material, combining moisture-management yarns with Trilobal “Iridescent Shine” yarn that creates a color-shift effect depending on how light hits the jersey. Nike’s signature Dri-FIT ADV performance material allows for greater breathability during play — a must in high-sweat areas, the brand notes.

Court clout — For the fifth consecutive year, Jordan Brand will dress the league’s stars during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, paying tribute to grassroots basketball communities with a nod to Cleveland. Inspired by the architecture of the city’s bridges, the uniform’s bold font mimics the look of classic All-Star jerseys from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and is accented by similar star graphics.

To celebrate the NBA’s 75th anniversary — otherwise known as the diamond anniversary — the colors of the uniforms resemble the silver shine of a diamond against the blue and red of the league’s logo. The blue is also meant to represent the prominence of Lake Erie, Nike notes, while the red promotes the fiery strength and resilience of Cleveland. In further commemoration, Nike designed the Clorox Rising Stars uniforms to feature shades inspired by the refraction of a diamond, divided into four palettes to reflect the event’s updated four-team format.

Converse’s take on the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game jerseys may be the most dedicated of the set. Rooted in the brand’s effort to offer greater access to young creatives, the uniforms were created by designers from Converse’s local Boston and Los Angeles Social and Community Impact partners — with some artists as young as 13. Inspired by the stylistic cultural differences between the two coasts of the country, the East uniforms nod to the resilience of the region’s cities as well as local street art, while the West uniforms incorporate ‘90s pop culture for a colorful retro style.

The Jordan Brand uniforms for NBA All-Star 2022 are available now at Nike’s website and the league’s own site. Make sure to grab yours before they hit the courts.