When the National Basketball Association, in partnership with adidas, launched the sleeved jersey, there was hope of a rise in jersey sales, wanting to bank on people who never really liked donning the sleeveless jerseys during games. However, with Nike now making the apparel of players, the sleeved jersey is reportedly not to be used by the NBA anymore next season.
Nike overtook adidas as the official producer of jerseys for NBA players and in a report by the Wall Street Journal, the athletic wear giant is not planning to produce the sleeved jerseys which debuted in 2013.
In the debut of the sleeved jersey, fans and players had mixed reviews about it. On Nov. 4, 2015, four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James tore the sleeve in his jersey out of discomfort on a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks. 'The King' cut the sleeves by a pair of scissors during a timeout.
However, in the same season, James decided that the Cavs should wear the sleeved jersey in the NBA finals when they faced the Golden State Warriors. Using those jerseys, Cleveland won its first title in franchise history and during their visit at the White House, it was the same jersey they gave former president Barack Obama.
Reigning MVP Steph Curry also did not like the jerseys, calling them "ugly" while NBA veteran Beno Udrih expressed his dislike with how the jerseys looked and fitted him.
In 2015, the league signed an eight-year apparel deal with Nike that is roughly worth $1 billion, a 245 percent annual increase from the previous deal, ESPN reported. Starting the 2017-2018 NBA season, players will then don Nike-made jerseys as they bid goodbye to adidas which produced NBA apparel for more than a decade.
Also, the so-called replica jerseys that are sold in sporting goods stores will now be available only at the league's website and online retailer Fanatics. The move will begin as Nike takes over the apparel production next season.
Watch the video below of James' tearing his sleeved jersey: