Uniforms Draw Inspiration from the City, History
and Culture of Toronto
adidas, the official on-court apparel provider for the National Basketball Association (NBA), unveiled the uniforms and apparel collection for the 65th NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 14 in Toronto.
The uniforms incorporate elements indigenous to Canada and pay homage to Toronto's NBA history, passionate basketball fans and cosmopolitan energy.
"This is the first NBA All-Star Game to be played outside the United States, and it is a very exciting time for basketball in Canada," Chris Grancio, adidas global basketball general manager, said. "To honor this global celebration and pay tribute to Toronto – the site of the NBA's first game – we've incorporated design elements that are inspired by the city's basketball history, sports culture and unique fashion scene to make an All-Star collection that players and fans will love."The red-and-white Western Conference and white-and-blue Eastern Conference uniforms feature a maple leaf overlay on the front of the jerseys as a tribute to the national symbol of Canada, while Toronto's cityscape is featured across the back to represent the host city.
Clean, single-layered fonts are a nod to the NBA's early days in Toronto, where the first NBA game was played on Nov. 1, 1946, between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers.
A star patch that incorporates the maple leaf and NBA logo is displayed on the upper back of the uniforms, while black-and-gold jock tags display the Toronto Raptors' alternate team colors and claw logo.
Featured on the jersey's neck liner and shorts' draw strings is a mosaic of flag colors that represent the multinational makeup of the league's players.
The NBA All-Stars will sport warm-ups that embrace Toronto's winter fashion and style. Black and heather gray fleece jackets include star patches that acknowledge the number of NBA All-Star appearances for each player, while patches on the right zipper pocket call out the game's top accolades, including: Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA All-Star Game MVP and NBA Championships.
The on-court warm-ups also include a performance fleece shooting shirt and tapered pant with white and gold trim.
NBA All-Star jerseys ($70 - $110), as well as a full range of NBA All-Star apparel, including adult and youth T-shirts ($20 - $30), adult track jackets ($110 - $200) and headwear ($20 - $26), will be available on NBAStore.com in January.
Select NBA All-Star merchandise will also be available internationally on NBAStore.eu and NBAStore.cn.
About adidas
adidas has been providing innovative products for the world's best athletes for more than 60 years, from past legends to today's superstars, such as James Harden, Derrick Rose, Damian Lillard and Andrew Wiggins. On April 11, 2006 adidas and the National Basketball Association signed an 11-year global merchandising partnership making the adidas brand the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (D-League) beginning with the 2006-07 NBA season.
About NBA All-Star 2016
NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto – the first All-Star to be held outside of the U.S. – will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league's history for a global celebration of the game. The 65th NBA All-Star Game, which will take place Sunday, Feb. 14 at the Air Canada Centre, will reach fans in more than 200 countries in more than 40 languages. TNT will televise the All-Star Game in the U.S. for the 14th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 31st year of All-Star coverage. The Air Canada Centre will also host the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 12 and State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 13. Other events at NBA All-Star 2016 include the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, the NBA Development League All-Star Game presented by Kumho Tire and the NBA Development League Dream Factory.
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