NEW YORK (AP) — NBA teams are making a wardrobe change, with the traditional home and road uniforms going back in the closet.
The league said Tuesday it is eliminating the old apparel designations starting with the 2017-18 season, when Nike becomes the official outfitter. Instead, there will be four primary uniforms for each team.
The host team will pick which of its uniforms will be worn for each game and the visitors will select one of the contrasting ones from their collection. Previously, white uniforms were the default for home teams.
The first two editions will debut at the start of the season. The “Association” is formerly the home white uniform and the “Icon” is the previous road jersey, featuring the team’s primary color.
The other two primary uniforms will be revealed in the coming months.
Also, eight teams will have a “Classic” uniform available in the fall that they can wear at their discretion.
Nike, which is replacing Adidas, says its uniforms are the NBA’s lightest ever and absorb sweat faster, with changes to the neck, back shoulder and armhole to enhance agility. They were tested by members of last summer’s gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team.