Looking at the history of NBA sleeved jerseys

From 2013 to 2017, NBA sleeved jerseys were all the rage in professional basketball. While it was short-lived, the different look provided some iconic uniforms and styles.

In an attempt to generate a new line of popular merchandise, NBA sleeved jerseys was the league's attempt at creating a more consumer-friendly product. Given that it more resembled a T-shirt, the idea was that fans would be more willing to buy and wear it.

The NBA sleeved jerseys were first introduced by the Golden State Warriors. At the time, they were still on their way to becoming the league's latest dynasty. Their sleeved design featured a yellow jersey with blue lettering and the team logo in the middle.

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Why did the NBA have sleeved jerseys?

Aside from the market appeal to consumers, some fans had their own thoughts on the dawn of NBA sleeved jerseys. There were conspiracy theories at the time that the league implemented them as a chance to make more money.

In recent years, the NBA has followed suit with other sports leagues and allowed sponsors to have patches on jerseys. When the sleeved jersey debuted, the idea was that they were made to create more space for ads to be placed. Given that this design was discontinued before ads started coming about, that theory holds little weight.

Were NBA sleeved jerseys banned?

The NBA sleeved jerseys were short-lived not because they were banned, but for business reasons. Prior to the 2017-18 season, Adidas had a contract with the league as their jersey supplier. That being said, in 2017 Nike inked a deal to become the new jersey manufacturer for the NBA.

Nike came out with new-and-improved jerseys, along with getting rid of the new look. Not long after they signed their deal with the NBA, it emerged that they will not be making sleeved jerseys.

One reason Nike might not have bothered with sleeved jerseys is because some players did not enjoy playing in them. Most notably, LA Lakers star LeBron James.

While with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he once ripped the sleeve off his arm mid-game. Later on, LeBron said that the sleeves are too tight and they are hard to shoot with.

Sleeved jerseys were a quick fad that never really got the chance to see what they could do. Who knows if they would still be prominent in the league if Nike had decided to continue with the design.