NBA to Feature Award Patches on Players’ Jerseys for 2025-26 Season Opener
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The NBA will spotlight its 2024-25 award winners by adding one-game-only uniform patches when the 2025-26 season tips off, the league confirmed on Monday.
A total of 35 players will take the court during opening week with a small trophy icon stitched above the Nike swoosh on the right side of the jersey front. The patch reflects the individual honor earned last season and overrides any All-NBA, All-Rookie or All-Defensive designation that player may also hold.
Most valuable player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, defensive player of the year Evan Mobley and rookie of the year Stephon Castle headline the list of honorees. Additional recipients include Jalen Brunson (Clutch Player of the Year), Stephen Curry (Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year), Payton Pritchard (Sixth Man of the Year), Dyson Daniels (Most Improved Player) and Jrue Holiday (Sportsmanship Award).
After debut night, each game-worn jersey will be auctioned by Sotheby’s, the NBA’s official partner for authenticated memorabilia. Players will also receive an additional patched uniform to keep.
Recognition extends beyond the court: Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson and Oklahoma City Thunder executive Sam Presti will wear lapel pins marking their Coach and Executive of the Year awards, respectively.
Christopher Arena, the league’s head of on-court and brand partnerships, said the initiative grew from a desire to give winners a visible moment of celebration. “They’re gonna walk in that day, they’re gonna see that trophy patch on their jersey and they’re gonna remember that that’s what they did,” Arena told ESPN.
The program is separate from previous Fanatics/Topps efforts that placed rookie debut patches and season-long gold logos on certain award winners, though league officials acknowledged drawing inspiration from those projects. While patches have appeared on NBA uniforms for marquee events such as the Finals and Christmas games, this marks the league’s most extensive player-specific recognition.
Each patch mirrors the design of its corresponding trophy, all of which were redesigned in December 2022. The Michael Jordan Trophy for MVP, for instance, features a five-sided base—an element repeated on Gilgeous-Alexander’s patch—while Mobley’s badge shows a player in a defensive stance reminiscent of the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.
The league also created patches for all 15 All-NBA selections, a group Arena labeled “elite,” noting that All-NBA nods often define a player’s legacy despite receiving limited fanfare when announced.
During development this summer, designers considered placing the patch above the player’s nameplate or on a shoulder stripe, but settled on the front to avoid clashing with existing championship icons and commemorative markings.
Arena said the NBA will gauge player and fan response with hopes of turning the opening-night patches into a lasting tradition.
Source: ESPN
