The uniforms for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game are here and, well… they’re here.
After the All-Star Game headlines were announced on Thursday, January 27, the NBA unveiled the full lineup of All-Star Weekend uniforms on Friday, January 28. Frankly, there is a lot to process here.
NIKE, Inc. celebrates the @NBA‘s 75th Anniversary Season and the city of Cleveland with #NBAAlStar 2023 uniforms! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/qjinOatLfC
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 28, 2023
Within the tweet, eight different jerseys are present: two All-Star Game jerseys, four Clorox Rising Stars Game jerseys, and two Ruffles Celeb Game jerseys. As usual, All-Star Saturday Night, which hosts the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest, will feature players wearing their respective team’s uniform.
Now that you have a complete look at the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend uniform landscape, let’s get into the uniforms themselves.
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NBA All-Star Game uniforms
For the fifth consecutive year, Jordan Brand will dress the stars of the league during 2023 #NBAAllStar Play.
Deeply connected to grassroots basketball communities, Jordan Brand designed uniforms that connect the characteristics of the city of Cleveland with cultures from around the world. pic.twitter.com/86emykQnLo— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 28, 2023
Team LeBron and Team Durant will go head-to-head in red and silver during Sunday’s main event. According to the NBA and Nike, “The colors are drawn from the prismatic silver shine of a diamond against the blue and red of the NBA logo in celebration of the league’s 75th anniversary season. The blue also speaks to the lake’s prominence.” Erie, and red is a variation of Cleveland’s fiery strength and endurance.”
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As much as I appreciate the idea of the colors being based on the anniversary of the NBA diamond, some of the elements of the uniform miss the mark.
If you’re going for the big NBA logo on the chest, you could also go for the “NBA 75” logo, which is already present on the shorts and back of the jersey. I also think the uniforms could have been more inspired by the city of Cleveland.
Take last season, for example, when the uniforms for the game (which was originally supposed to be played in Indiana) could have passed as an alternate Pacers uniform.
To honor Cleveland, I was expecting some nods to rock-and-roll and a more Cavaliers-inspired color palette, though the red does have a similarity to Cleveland wine and the baby blue reminds me of the 1990s Cavs .
With as many identities as the Cavaliers have had since the franchise’s inception, I was hoping for a few more of those elements here.
Qualification: C
Rising Stars game uniforms
Designed by Nike, the #CloroxRisingStars uniforms follow a similar city-inspired direction. They feature unique colors inspired by the refraction of a diamond that are now displayed in four colorways to reflect the event’s updated four-team format. pic.twitter.com/yU90Oqia8r
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 28, 2023
I dare say the uniforms for the Clorox Rising Stars game are very… cleansed?
Puns aside, these uniforms align with the Rising Stars uniforms from years past, when the game was Team World vs. TeamUSA. This year, however, the Rising Stars game takes on a new format, with a four-team tournament made up of teams made up of seven players.
MORE: New Rising Stars format, explained
The tournament itself will be exciting and the uniforms won’t take that away. Sure, they could have done more, but sometimes it’s best not to overcomplicate things.
It will be great to see guys like Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards wearing these.
Qualification: B.
Celebrity Game Uniforms
Converse uniforms for the #RufflesCelebGame are rooted in the brand’s effort to offer greater access to young creatives, some as young as 13, from Converse’s local Social and Community Impact partners based in Boston and Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/hppkau0SZB
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 28, 2023
The celebrity game is always fun on paper, but most years it gets lost in the shuffle of the All-Star festivities.
That said, these uniforms are as much fun as the celebrity game is supposed to be. According to the official statement, “The uniforms are inspired by the stylistic cultural differences between East and West. The East is a nod to the resilience of the region’s cities and local street art. The Western uniforms incorporate pop culture of the ’90s, including popular movies, television, and music during that time.”
It’s easy to say these uniforms are too busy, but I’d say they’re supposed to be. These uniforms don’t take themselves too seriously and are the perfect look for celebrities looking for their greatest athletic achievement.
Qualification: B+