Nike announced this week that the NBA’s eight oldest franchises will wear new Specter Edition uniforms during the 2026-27 season that are inspired by their “history, city heritage and fan culture.”
That includes the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings, all of which have combined to win 53 NBA titles in 84 seasons.
While the league was formed ahead of the 1946-47 season, the Kings actually trace their roots back to 1923-24, when the franchise was founded as the independent semi-professional team known as the Rochester Seagrams.
The Pistons were founded under similar circumstances in Fort Wayne in 1937, while the Celtics, Knicks and (Philadelphia) Warriors were charter members of the Basketball Association of America, which was renamed to the NBA when it merged with the National Basketball League in 1949.
The (Minneapolis) Lakers, Pistons and Kings – who, by this time, had rebranded themselves as the Rochester Royals – joined the league in 1947, while the Hawks (known then as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks) and 76ers (Syracuse Nationals) were part of the NBL merger.
All of that might suggest the Specter Edition uniforms would feature a classic design, but what was unveiled during New York Fashion Week was quite the opposite, “reimagining how team identity and basketball culture are expressed” to “revolutionize the look of the NBA for the next generation.”
In fact, the entire Nike Standard Issue Collection – which includes on-court apparel for all 30 NBA teams, including hoodies, pants, shirts and shorts – was inspired by modern hoopers, movies, gaming and fashion with bold, oversized graphics and understated wordmarks and logos.
“Basketball is more than a game, it’s a culture and a form of self-expression,” Nike creative director Ross Klein said in a press release. “This collection celebrates the attitude, creativity and individuality of today’s hoopers, combining bold team identity and modern style so fans can show their connection to the game in their own way.”
The jerseys are predominantly black with an airbrushed design that pulls from each team’s logo history, while a small Nike Swoosh sits above their current wordmarks and number fonts, which are also black with a team color outline.
The Celtics use their secondary shamrock logo for their design, while the Kings use their 2014-16 crown, the Knicks use their “NYK” token, the Lakers use their “LA” logo, Warriors use bridge cables and the 76ers use the stars from their primary logo.
The Pistons, meanwhile, incorporate the flames from their 1996-2001 logo, while the Hawks combine their color scheme and unique piping from their 1970-72 uniforms with a wing-like design that brings to mind the iconic disposable Jazz cups from the 1990s.
It’s unclear when the uniforms will be worn, though we’ll likely find out more – as well as what the shorts look like – when they’re officially unveiled on Sept. 15. They won’t replace any designs in the teams’ closets, and will instead complement their Association, Icon, Statement, City and – if applicable – Classic Edition sets.
Photos courtesy of @NBA and @Nike on X/Twitter.