NBA’s Holiday Jerseys: Why the Festive Looks Vanished After 2017
nba-christmas-jerseys-tradition-ends-after-nike-takeover
NEW YORK — Christmas Day NBA games once featured special-edition jerseys, but the seasonal uniforms have been absent since Nike replaced Adidas as the league’s apparel partner in 2017.
From 2008 through 2016, teams wore a different holiday design each year, turning the league’s December 25 showcase into an on-court fashion event. The run ended when Nike opted not to extend the program after assuming the uniform contract.
How the tradition began
The first holiday update appeared in 2008, when a white snowflake encircled each team’s logo. Over the next eight years, designers experimented with bolder concepts:
- 2008-11 — Snowflakes: Logos ringed by a single snowflake; teams in red and green were highlighted.
- 2012 — Big Color: Monochrome jerseys debuted on the 65th anniversary of Christmas Day NBA games.
- 2013 — Big Logo: Oversized crests dominated the chest, while short-sleeved cuts drew criticism from players, including Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki.
- 2014 — First-Name Basis: Players’ first names appeared on a panel beneath their numbers.
- 2015 — Christmas Cards: Cursive lettering mimicked holiday greeting cards, becoming the most popular look.
- 2016 — Christmas Cards II: The favored script returned for a second and final appearance.
Players still miss the tradition
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, set to play on Christmas for the 19th consecutive season in 2025, voiced his disappointment on social media last year, writing that losing the holiday uniforms “really sucks.”
Nike’s current stance
Despite the nostalgia, Nike maintains four standard uniform editions—Association, Icon, City and Statement—and has no plans to revive the Christmas line. “We like the assortment we have now. The storytelling we’re able to tell is really robust,” the company said in 2021.
Unless the apparel giant changes course, the once-colorful December 25 wardrobe will remain a memory for players and fans alike.
Source: ESPN
