Nike and the NBA used New York Fashion Week to put their next apparel push on the Brooklyn runway, with Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey joining a show built around the tastes of young basketball players. The NBA Standard Issue Collection, shaped by input from more than 400 high school hoopers as well as NBA players and teams, is scheduled to arrive in two releases beginning Sept. 15.
Nike, NBA bring Standard Issue collection from Brooklyn runway to all 30 teams
The collection is designed to move beyond traditional team gear, mixing NBA branding with streetwear-minded fits, larger graphics and details meant to work away from the gym as easily as they do around it.
Nike’s product team began with a question about reconnecting with younger players. Lindsey Yamasaki, Nike’s lead product line manager for licensed basketball apparel, said the company sees its strongest work as work that inspires youth.
“They didn’t want the middle,” Yamasaki said of the feedback from the young players. “They really wanted to push the edges of expression.”
Quick facts
- Nike and the NBA staged the collection presentation on Sept. 9 during New York Fashion Week in Brooklyn.
- More than 400 high school players contributed to the research behind NBA Standard Issue.
- The line covers all 30 NBA clubs and releases in waves on Sept. 15 and Oct. 12.
- Fans will be able to purchase the full apparel assortment worn by players during the season.
- A separate Specter Edition uniform program will cover eight of the league’s oldest franchises later this fall.
The research did not stay limited to jerseys, warmups or locker-room basics. Nike studied the larger world around the next wave of hoopers, including gaming, movies, music and fashion, while looking for a different visual lane for NBA apparel.
Yamasaki said basketball has historically been strongest when its on-court product and its cultural pull are tied together. That connection is the central idea behind Standard Issue, which uses broader silhouettes and lifestyle cues in team apparel.
The retail setup is also a notable change. Michael Brady, the NBA’s global head of merchandise partnerships and business affairs, said supporters will have access to every item worn on court, creating a direct player-to-fan product offering.
“If you’re a fan and you see something that resonates with you and your fandom, you’ll be able to buy it,” Brady said. He called the availability of every on-court product a distinctive one-to-one proposition.
Specter uniforms on deck
Nike and the league also rolled out the Specter Edition uniform collection, aimed at eight of the NBA’s longest-running franchises. Those uniforms are expected later this fall.
Brady said the eight designs share a common thread, but each club’s version carries its own history and identity. He said fans will find team-specific details built into the uniforms.
SEO Title: Nike and NBA unveil Standard Issue apparel collection
SEO Description: Nike and the NBA launch the Standard Issue Collection for all 30 teams on Sept. 15 and Oct. 12, with Specter Edition uniforms due later this fall.
