Let's be real for a second. Every year, when the NBA and Nike drop the new City Edition uniforms, the internet basically goes into a collective meltdown. Fans scream that the designs are getting lazier, jersey collectors complain about the price hikes, and traditionalists just want to know why the Boston Celtics are wearing lime green.
The 2024 NBA city jerseys (technically for the 2024-25 season) are no different. They arrived with a mix of "wait, what is that?" and some genuine masterpieces that actually make sense. Honestly, after seven years of this program, it's getting harder for teams to find new ways to say "we love our city" without repeating themselves. But this year, a few teams actually pulled it off by leaning into nostalgia or weird, hyper-local history.
Why Some 2024 NBA City Jerseys Just Work
If you look at the Toronto Raptors, they won the year. Hands down. They didn't just put a logo on a shirt; they put an era. By featuring the "Dino" mascot performing Vince Carter’s legendary 2000 through-the-legs dunk on the front, they tapped into the exact reason people buy these things: vibes. It's purple, it’s red, and it’s a direct middle finger to the boring, minimalist trend we’ve seen lately.
Then you’ve got the Philadelphia 76ers. They went back to the "Spectrum" era. If you aren't a jersey nerd, the Spectrum was their old arena, and the side panels on these white jerseys feature those iconic red, orange, green, and blue stripes. It’s clean. It doesn’t feel like an advertisement for a tech startup; it feels like Philly.
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The Teams That Stuck to the Script
Some franchises didn't want to reinvent the wheel.
- Charlotte Hornets: They went back to the "Mint" theme. It’s a nod to the first U.S. Branch Mint. The granite and gold accents are a nice touch, even if it feels a bit like we’ve seen it before.
- Milwaukee Bucks: They’re still doing the "Great Lakes Blue." It’s basically their third year in a row leaning into the water theme. It’s fine, but fans are starting to wonder if the creative team in Milwaukee just really likes the beach.
- Utah Jazz: After a couple of years of those "construction yellow" jerseys that everyone hated, they finally brought back the purple mountains. Technically, they're moving back to mountains for their main look, but the City Edition this year is a "modern throwback" that actually looks like a professional basketball team should.
The Design Misses Nobody Talks About
We have to talk about the Celtics and the Lakers. It’s sort of a tradition now—the two most storied franchises in the league getting the most boring jerseys. The Celtics' 2024 design uses a weird lime green and black "futuristic" palette. It's supposed to be about the evolution of the game, but mostly it just looks like a practice jersey from the year 2050.
The Lakers' jersey isn't much better. It’s a "LakeShow" theme with a triangle wordmark from the 60s. The problem? It’s black. Again. The Lakers have so much history to pull from, but we keep getting these dark alternates that feel disconnected from the "Purple and Gold" identity.
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Does "Culture" Even Mean Anything Anymore?
The Miami Heat basically just flipped the colors of their "Heat Culture" jersey from last year. It’s "Blood Red" now. While Pat Riley might love the "win-at-all-costs" branding, fans are getting a little tired of the word "CULTURE" being plastered on everything. It feels less like a city tribute and more like a corporate retreat slogan.
The Weird, The Wild, and The KAWS
Brooklyn went a different route. They brought back the artist KAWS for a second year. Last year was bright and chaotic; this year is muted greys and blacks with pops of color. It's polarizing. You either think it's high-fashion or you think it looks like a middle schooler’s notebook doodles. But hey, at least it’s not a plain white jersey with "Brooklyn" in Helvetica.
The Chicago Bulls are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the United Center. They’ve got gold and bronze accents and a jocktag that looks like the arena's marquee. It’s a nice tribute, but the jersey itself is pretty understated. It’s the kind of shirt you’d wear to the gym, but maybe not the one you’d frame on your wall.
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What to Look for Before You Buy
If you're looking to grab one of these, remember that the "Swingman" version is the standard $120-$130 retail piece. The "Authentic" ones—the ones with the actual stitched patches and high-end fabric—will run you over $200.
A big complaint this year is the "recycled" feel. About half the league is "remixing" old City Edition designs rather than creating something 100% new. For example:
- Denver Nuggets: Bringing back the "Rainbow Skyline" but in a different colorway.
- Houston Rockets: Sticking with the "Dunkstronaut" vibe (which is actually cool, so we'll allow it).
- Phoenix Suns: Honoring the 1995 All-Star Game held in Phoenix with those bright, wild fonts.
Actionable Tips for Jersey Collectors
Don't just buy the first one you see. These things usually hit the clearance rack by April or May when the season starts winding down. If you aren't dying to have it for a specific game, wait. Also, check the "LockerVision" website from the NBA—it tells you exactly which games your team will actually wear these uniforms. There is nothing worse than wearing your bright red Memphis Sounds jersey to the arena only to find out the Grizz are wearing their boring home whites that night.
The 2024 NBA city jerseys show that the league is in a bit of a "pivot" phase. They know the market is saturated, so they're leaning heavily into either super-famous players (like the Vince Carter tribute) or safe, recurring themes. Whether you love them or hate them, they’re here to stay for at least another decade under the Nike deal. Choose the ones that actually tell a story, like the Sixers or the Raptors, and skip the ones that look like they were designed in a corporate boardroom with a "minimalism" PowerPoint.