The first year of Nike’s partnership with the NBA introduced special edition "City Edition" uniforms, which referenced features of a team’s city and incorporated them into a unique, special edition uniform design.
This year's batch of City Edition uniforms feature several all-new styles that have called on inspiration from architecture, landmarks, famous figures and mottos, creating some of the coolest city-inspired jerseys to date. Executing the perfect blend of unique, eye-catching designs coupled with a backstory that ties into the city's community is what makes some stand out from the rest.
Everybody has their own favorites but the 10 listed below are some of the best, IMHO. Scroll down to check out our picks, and click here to peep all 30 Nike x NBA City Edition uniforms for the 2018-19 season.
New York Knicks
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
The New York Knicks turned the clocks back to the 1950s with their new Nike "City Edition" uniforms, featuring an alternating blue and orange trim as a nod to the 1952-61 Knicks uniform.
The new threads are similar to the classic throwback jerseys recently worn during the 2015-16 season, however the jersey and shorts are dark blue instead of white. Another cool detail that separates the 2018-19 "City Edition" uniform is the addition of the city's iconic skyline, also decked out in orange and blue, which runs from under the arm and down onto the shorts.
Per the Knicks: "The City Edition uniform represents the unity and diversity of our city. The iconic skyline symbolizes our ambitions and shared dreams. The blue and orange piping pays homage to the 1952-61 Knicks uniform. The first Knicks uniform worn with a non-arched New York wordmark."
The unique design and updated NYC detailing on an old classic make this one of the top 2018-19 City Edition uniforms, IMHO.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
Naturally, the New Orleans Pelicans went with a colorful Mardi Gras theme for their City Edition uniforms, celebrating the history and tradition of carnival season.
The new threads are highlighted by NOLA's signature colors of purple, green and gold which are blocked across the chest and down the sides of the shorts. Additional details include a fleur de lis on the waistband honoring the city’s French influence, and a flap on the bottom of both legs of the shorts that displays a hidden “Comedy Tragedy” Mardi Gras mask.
Per the Pelicans press release, "The ligature at the bottom of the neck represents a traditional Mardi Gras krewe ducal. Additionally, “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler” can be found on the bottom left side of the jersey, which is the Cajun French translation for New Orleans’ unofficial motto, “Let the Good Times Roll.”
A crisp, bold colorway with plenty of subtle details that nod to the city and their famous Mardi Gras festivities, the Pelicans hit the mark with this one.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
The Boston Celtics are the winningest franchise in NBA history, and their 2018-19 "City Edition" uniforms are inspired by the white warm-up jackets of former Celtics greats, from Bob Cousy to Bill Russell to Robert Parish to Larry Bird.
“Looking back at past Celtics legends — Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy — they all wore this iconic wordmark,” Nike senior product graphic designer Nate Bush said in a statement. “It’s as much a part of the Celtic tradition as the parquet floor, which is another element we brought to life through this design.”
The classic white, green and gold is a much better fit than the grey design that the Celtics have gone with in the past.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
When it comes to the Milwaukee Bucks' 2018-19 "City Edition" uniforms you'll either hate 'em or love 'em. By the very nature of this list you can tell where I stand on the matter.
In some instances the simple approach work best for these special edition uniforms but when you consider the Milwaukee Bucks' history and their "MECCA Era", it's easy to appreciate how they've stepped outside the box with a loud color design. Milwaukee’s MECCA Arena, and its abstract arrangement of color-blocked blues, reds, greens and golds, is the focal point of the team's new unis.
According to the Bucks' press release, "The Bucks’ 2018-19 City Edition uniform celebrates the bright colors that became synonymous with NBA basketball in Milwaukee during one of the franchise’s most successful stretches from the late-70s through the mid-80s."
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will debut the new City Edition uniform on Monday, November 19 when they host the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. The uniforms will be worn on all remaining "Milwaukee Mondays" and on two late-season Sunday games, in addition to six times on the road.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
For select games in the 2018-19 season, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and co. will don special edition uniforms honoring Oklahoma's Native American heritage. The base color is turquoise, representing the 11th anniversary stone and the native color of friendship.
"Interlocking letters create “OKC” on the jersey’s chest, with separate shapes blending into one another to create one shape. Boldly set, the belt pattern on the shorts is derived from a traditional sash and represents the various individual communities expanding outward, pointing toward and blending with each other. Encompassed by the Four Corners, all shapes point inward to gather at OKC. The short vent graphic is inspired by the turtle shell, the circle symbolizes the Earth and recognizes the tribes that line the outside. Primary stripe elements point east to welcome the rising sun and guide the way."
The Thunder will wear the uniform for the first time on Wednesday, November 14, against the New York Knicks. Thereafter, the team will wear the "City Edition" uniforms at least five more times at Chesapeake Energy Arena this season.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
Say what you will about the Clippers "generic" looking City Edition uniform, but the Olympic-inspired colorway and design is just too clean not to be included on this list.
The Clippers moved from San Diego to Los Angeles in 1984, intersecting with the city's hosting of the Summer Olympics. The red, white and blue Clippers logo is designed to resemble the "Stars In Motion" logo from the ’84 event, commemorating the team's inaugural city in Los Angeles. Additionally, the jersey pays tribute to the longtime "Voice of the Clippers," Ralph Lawler, in his 40th and final season with the team.
In all, these uniforms are better than the ones that the Clips trot out on a nightly basis.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
Referring back to the beloved uniforms worn from the '70s, '80s and early '90s, the Nuggets' 2018-19 "City Edition" uniforms utilize the iconic Rainbow Skyline design with a twist.
The team’s memorable rainbow skyline logo specifically reflects the 1974 design that guided some of Denver’s most successful seasons. A new detail in this year’s rendition is a group of elevation lines through the logo, inspired by topological maps.
The return of the Rainbow Skyline uniforms marks 25 years since the design was originally retired as the team’s main uniforms. The last time the Nuggets donned the classic version of the uniform was for a one-night-only special event during Dikembe Mutombo’s jersey retirement ceremony on October 29, 2016.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
Unlike any Minnesota Timberwolves uniform to date, the team's 2018-19 City Edition uniform features a black and purple color scheme, which serves as a nod to the legend Prince and his iconic "Purple Rain" album.
According to Minnesota's press release, the left vent on the jersey bears a paisley leaf in tribute to Prince’s creative sanctuary – Paisley Park. The right shoulder pattern honors the iconic jacket Prince wore when performing “Purple Rain”. The “MPLS” on the left leg symbolizes the well-known Minneapolis Sound that Prince ushered in during the late 1970s. The Timberwolves partial logos on the right leg and on the belt buckle are in tonal purple – the regal color most closely associated with Prince. Tying it all together is the distinctive font, which is reminiscent of the 1980s Prince era.
The Wolves are scheduled to wear the City Edition uniforms eight times during the regular season, starting on November 16 when they host the Portland Trail Blazers.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
The Miami Heat are sticking with the popular "Miami Vice" theme for their City Edition Nike uniforms this season, and nobody is complaining.
However, this time around, the unis come in black instead of white along with the familiar pink and blue detailing that recalls the neon signage throughout South Beach, a melting pot of Latin American culture. The theme is based off of the popular television crime series "Miami Vice,"which ran from 1984 to 1989 and instantly became a city icon.
In addition to the "Vice Nights" uniforms, the Heat have also introduced a matching court which will be used for select games throughout the season.
Top-10 Nike NBA "City Edition" Uniforms For The 2018-19 Season
Simply put, the Brooklyn Nets killed it with their Biggie-inspired "Spread Love" City Edition uniforms.
The all black uniforms are highlighted by a Coogi-inspired, multi-color "Brooklyn Camo" pattern that runs down the sides of the jersey and shorts and along the sleeve and neckline piping. Additionally, a customized *BED-STUY* mark for each player has been designed by renowned graffiti artist Eric Haze and been placed above the jersey's jock tag.
Naturally, the Biggie-themed unis are a massive hit on social media, as well as in the Nets' locker room.
"Love them. Love the design," said Caris LeVert. "Very Brooklyn-esque. I'm not a huge jersey guy in the first place, but those are dope."
"Nice mixture," said DeMarre Carroll. "It's not too much. I think that's the goal. The designer who did it was awesome, because they got the right amount of flashy, but not too flashy. It's great. I think it's great not only for the organization but it's great for the city of Brooklyn. To pay homage to somebody who means so much to Brooklyn and put Brooklyn on the map. When you say Brooklyn, you think of Biggie. Hopefully these jerseys can bring a rich diversity and unity to the fans and the organization."
"From Senor Swag Daddy, these are awesome. Pretty dope. Good job guys."
The Brooklyn Nets will debut the "Spread Love" uniform on Saturday, November 17, when they host the Los Angeles Clippers. They will don the jerseys for 15 additional games thereafter.
<b>Sports & Sneakers Writer</b>
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New York born and raised. Long-suffering Knicks, Mets & Jets fan who fell in love with sneakers when Allen Iverson laced up the 11s at Georgetown. Commissioner of one of the premier fantasy football leagues in the USA.
