The new NBA and Nike collection went on sale today. From jerseys, to shooting sleeves, slides, and more hit online and select stores.
Since it officially begins, all previous outfitters of the NBA are no longer part of the on-court sportswear. Brands like adidas and Stance have halted their partnership however, they will still continue to create their basketball product as long as it isn’t officially “on-court” apparel and merchandise. For example, you will still find Stance basketball socks, but just not advertised with the NBA and its teams.
Speaking of socks, hoopers from all ages have adapted to the highly cushioned Nike Elite and Stance songs over the past several years. It started in 2008 when Nike Basketball saw an opportunity to revolutionize the market. The first initial model for the Nike Elite sock was given to players in 2007 getting ready for the USA tournament for the Olympics held in Beijing, China.
“These socks were incredible,’” said Brooklyn guard and gold medalist Deron Williams. “I could immediately feel the improvement. They felt so comfortable and supportive that I wore them all the time, on and off the court.”
Since then, the inception of the Nike Elite series changed the industry on socks alone. Other companies like adidas, Under Armour, and Stance hopped on the train and started creating their own products. However, Nike Basketball remained king and is raising the bar once again with the new Nike NBA NikeGrip socks in Quick and Power version. Just like the Nike Elite sock, these will have zoned cushion in the heel and forefoot allowing more comfortability. Extra grip allows the player to focus more on basketball than their feet sliding on the footbed.
Continue to read about the two new versions that you will see all NBA players wear once the 2017-2018 season starts.
“Socks are the first line of defense,” says NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who challenged the designers to create socks so good that players would stop wearing two at the same time. “Your feet are the most important thing you bring to the game,” Bryant adds. “You’ve got to take care of your feet.”
Thankfully, Nike has given us five new things to know about the new Nike NBA socks.
1. These are the first Nike socks to have the NBA logo. Special versions of both socks will be worn by all NBA athletes throughout the season, and there will be a Nike sock for each uniform edition.
2. Nike Basketball and Jordan athletes got first-hand experience with the NBA NikeGrip Power and Quick Crew socks at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and provided crucial insights for their development. Nike also worked with collegiate and high school players on all aspects of the sock development and extended wear-testing process.
3. To achieve optimum zoned thickness for the NBA NikeGrip Power Crew sock, Nike’s NXT developed a new machine with a larger dial and needle than anything on the market at the time. The needles have wider entries to fit thicker yarn through, which enables the machine to create bigger terry loops that are knitted to sculpt the foot. The machine can add cushion, mesh and NikeGrip where needed. As a result, the NBA NikeGrip Power Crew sock is the most-cushioned performance sock Nike has ever created.
4. Both of Nike’s NBA NikeGrip Crew socks are made with cushioning in the areas where basketball players need it most: on the forefoot, heel and ankle. Thinner mesh on top of the sock vents (this placement was determined through thermal mapping). NikeGrip on the lateral side grips the outside of the foot. The forefoot of the NBA NikeGrip Quick Crew sock has Nike Forefoot Lock (two thin spandex bands that arch to support the foot and prevent the socks from bunching near the toes). Both the NBA NikeGrip Power and Quick Crew socks incorporate a heel lock that keeps the sock in place and reduces sliding.
5. Of course, the Charlotte Hornets get their own Jordan socks (another first).
Both Quick and Power versions of the sock will be available on October 1, 2017 on Nike.com/NBA. A version of the NBA Nike Elite Quick sock will be for sale in all team colors selling for $22.00 USD available here.
