It’s grow to be a convention that every yr, Nike’s new Celtics Metropolis Version jersey will leak earlier than they’re formally introduced, and annually I might be wholeheartedly offended.
The yr 2024 isn’t any completely different, regardless of my biggest optimism that perhaps, simply perhaps, Nike would flip to the nice Pete Rogers to deal with the duty.
As a substitute, Tuesday afternoon served as the primary pink flag for the 2024-25 season, as leaked designs of Boston’s new alternate jersey surfaced on-line.
Nike actually outdid themselves right here with the brand new money seize. This yr, the combating champion (I’d by no means say defending champion, out of respect for Joe Mazzulla) Celtics might be compelled to put on these neon-lettered uniforms at the very least 3 times (the league’s minimal for the Metropolis uniforms).
These actually seem like knockoffs that Goal sells for $20.
The black base is new from final yr, whereas the aspect design seems to be the identical, with the curve now being lime inexperienced moderately than a picket coloration.
When the NBA formally launched the 2023-24 slate of alternate uniforms final November, they pointed to every staff’s or metropolis’s historical past as inspiration for the designs.
“The Nike NBA Metropolis Version platform options strong, hyperlocal tales from every of our NBA groups, making a tapestry of the historical past of our recreation, its groups and the cities that help them,” mentioned Christopher Enviornment, Head of On-Courtroom and Model Partnerships on the NBA.
Do these jerseys have something to do with Boston or the Celtics as a company?
Nope, not even shut.
The closest factor we’ve seen to this was the 2021 “Earned Version” jerseys — or the Earth Day uniforms, as many known as them.
I get it.
Some individuals do like change they usually like new artistic designs. That’s all good and wonderful, however probably the most offensive facet of that is that, once more, Pete Rogers has designed numerous Celtics jerseys which are all higher than what Nike has and continues to place out.
Listed below are 5 random designs from Pete.
Even when the 5 I picked aren’t your cup of tea, there are over 100 extra jersey mockups on his Twitter/X web page and he has a complete store the place you should buy his designs on-line. Nike may’ve picked from any of those however didn’t, and that’s unbelievably lame.
In the event you actually need your day ruined, take into consideration the matching court docket that Boston will play its “NBA Cup” video games on this fall.