Why does it look like NBA players wear new jerseys each game?
You might think this, but this isn’t the case.
NBA players don’t usually wear new jerseys each game. Most of them are washed by the equipment managers of each team. This is because they cost $300-$500 per piece. But an NBA jersey has a typical lifespan of 4-5 games.
But even if they don’t get new jerseys each game, they most certainly get a lot of jerseys each season. How much exactly? We find out more below.
Do NBA Players Get New Jerseys Each Game?
No, NBA players don’t use new jerseys each game. If they did, the costs would be astronomical even for the teams.
Rather, the equipment managers of each team take care of the jerseys of all players. They’re the ones who wash, fold, and repair any little damage to the jerseys.
Washing jerseys will fade the numbers and the names in the jersey eventually. But the managers will replace the numbers before that happens.
That’s more practical than having players wear new jerseys each game. That’s because it’s estimated that NBA jerseys can cost anywhere from $200-$300 or more apiece.
How Many Jerseys Do NBA Players Get Each Season?
There used to be only two types of jersey designs that each team had. These include the white (home) and colored (away) jerseys.
But now, each team has 4-5 or more types of jerseys that they can wear. These types of jerseys are called:
- Association (Home)
- Icon (Away)
- Statement
- City
- Classic
The Icon jerseys are the away uniforms. These are the jerseys that they use when playing on the road.
Then, Statement and City editions usually sport some color variations of the home jerseys.
Lastly, the Classic jerseys are the uniforms for the 75th anniversary season of the NBA.
So, on the question of how many jerseys NBA players get, it’s a lot. But we know that they also have their equipment managers wash their jerseys.
So, if they wanted to, they could have a new jersey for each game. But that isn’t practical, and it would be such a waste to have perfectly good jerseys thrown out.
But the clear thing is that NBA teams always have backup jerseys of their players in each game that they have.
Do NBA Teams Change Jerseys Every Year?
Their Association (Home) and Icon (Away) jerseys usually stay for multiple seasons. These staple jerseys mean that they should last for a long time.
But for the other type of jerseys, they usually release new designs each season. They can add new elements, change colors, and have fun with the designs.
This is what they can do to make their jerseys more exciting aside from their normal ones.
Do NBA Players Change Jerseys at Halftime?
Some do but most don’t. It’s hard to tell since few people can go in the player’s dugouts.
But from what we know, NBA players can change into new jerseys at halftime should they wish to.
They can do so especially if their jersey is dirty, too sweaty or they want to give it away to someone.
The point is each team keeps a backup of jerseys for each player at all games. This is to be prepared for all types of circumstances.
Who Pays the Jerseys That Players Give Away?
The NBA team that the player is signed to is usually the one who provides all their equipment, including their jerseys.
But if a player decides to give away their jersey to fans, then they’ll pay for it.
This is because NBA jerseys cost a lot to make, and they also hold a lot of value after being played on by an NBA player.
The same is true when a player trades a jersey with another. They will have to shoulder the cost but for an NBA player, it’s probably just cheap change.
Where do old Jerseys Go?
It’s estimated that NBA jerseys have an average age of around 4-5 games. So, once the jerseys are ready to be retired, they can go to several places.
First, jerseys that aren’t even retired are the ones given by players to fans.
Then, the old jerseys can also be sold by the team or player to raise money for charity.
The player can also keep them as a memento and personal belonging.
The point is that NBA jerseys are incredible equipment so teams will properly dispose of them. They can’t just throw them away like any other jersey out there.
Final Thoughts
NBA jerseys are the uniforms of players that carry a lot of value. So, NBA players don’t get the luxury of using a new one each game. They’re washed but don’t get used for years like regular uniforms.
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