To know me is to know I am a Minneapolis native, raised in Chicago, who spent two decades living in Brooklyn, N.Y.βand that basketball is the only sport I even remotely follow (despite my 5-foot, 10-inch frame). So to say I was a little hype over the second release of Nikeβs City Edition jerseys would be a slight understatementβafter all, the sportswear juggernaut outdid themselves this year, while once again drawing inspiration from each cityβs history and a few beloved icons to create their 2018-19 designs.
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Case in point: My hometown honeys, the Minnesota Timberwolves, may not be known for their wins on the court (yetβa girl can dream), but NikeβsβPurple Rainβ uniform is a definite win. With a color scheme and detailing paying tribute to legendary local icon Prince, who wouldβve turned 60 this year, this is one to cop for basketball and music lovers alike.
The font? Inspired by the movie and albumβs recognizable artwork. And the pyramid-like print at the shoulder? Itβs a nod to Princeβs β80s-era studded leather jackets. Thereβs even a little purple paisley patch inside the shorts left vent, honoring his studio, first record label and one-time residence, Paisley Park.
And as for my adopted home of Brooklyn? The Netsβ βSpread Loveβ jersey is an homage to the COOGI sweater-loving Notorious B.I.G, mimicking the colorful patterns on the trim of the otherwise traditional jersey, with a photo shoot staged on his childhood block, St. James Place (fun fact: I used to live across the street).
For the Chicago Bulls, it was a nod to our cityβs historic flag. (We couldnβt get a Jordan reference, yβall? An Obama? An Oprah? A Chance? And yes, I realize only one of those four people was actually born in Chicago.)
The full collection rolls out between November 1-9, but so far, Nike has given its other NBA franchise cities the star treatment tooβincluding bringing back the Denver Nuggetsβ old-school rainbow skyline. Want to see how they immortalize your favorite team and city? You can check out the Nike x NBA City Edition collection here.
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