Kyle Kuzma blasts Nike for ‘ruining’ NBA jerseys

Dec 6, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Kuzma is not endearing himself to any Nike executives with his latest take.

The Washington Wizards forward took a shot at the NBA’s official jersey manufacturer on Monday. Kuzma, who is a brand ambassador for Puma, expressed his disapproval of Nike’s continued push to release more and more jersey designs every year. The outspoken athlete believes that the company’s strategy damages the brand recognition NBA franchises perpetually build with their fans.

“Nike is ruining the nostalgia of jerseys, every year it’s a new jersey and what gets lost is brand identity,” said Kuzma on X.

The 28-year-old spoke out in response to a leaked photo of the Clippers’ alleged new city edition jerseys for next season.

Rumor: The Clippers city edition jerseys have reportedly been leaked.

Thoughts? 👀

(via @kenyosh7) pic.twitter.com/Z37blLZfxC

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 16, 2023

Those look nothing like the Clippers’ traditional colors and uniforms.

Jerseys and logos have long been an intrinsic part of sports fandom. Older fans can look back at highlights from past eras and feel a wave of nostalgia with just one look at the iconic jersey designs of yesteryear.

Imagine a young fan today who is just learning about the NBA. How are they supposed to identify teams if there is no consistency with logos and color schemes from game to game? It makes it confusing and hurts brand identities.

Nike replaced Adidas as the league’s official uniform and apparel maker beginning in 2017. The Oregon-based company has an 8-year pact with the NBA that will last up until the 2024-25 season.