Unless you’ve been living under a rock or are oblivious to sports, you know by now that LeBron James is a Los Angeles Laker. His 4-year, $153.3 million deal to play in L.A. is no doubt one of the biggest sports headlines of the decade. No one had seen it coming, and the news shocked basketball fans around the globe.
Now that the dust has settled, and just about everybody — except maybe Cleveland Cavaliers fans — has accepted that The King will be wearing purple and gold next season. Until now, we could only guess what his purple and gold uniform would actually look like. But we know.
Nike, the official outfitter of the NBA, just unveiled the brand-new Lakers uniforms for the 2018-19 NBA season, which arrive in time to welcome James to his new baller home at the Staples Center.
The uniforms take design cues from the past, paying homage to the classic era of “Showtime” Lakers basketball in the 1980s, when the team was led by Magic Johnson and included other stars like James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the tail end of his career.
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The jersey features a classic cut, characterized by a rounded neckline and thin shoulders. The most essential element of the new design to achieve the throwback feel is the return of the vertical drop shadow on the numbers, like iconic Lakers uniforms of yesteryear. The result is a tradition-inspired design with modern materials and construction, the perfect uniform to honor the past while also looking toward the new era of Lakers basketball.
James’ Lakers Icon Swingman jersey is available for preorder now at Nike.com and will be available at select retailers soon.
