Power Ranking Every NBA Team's City Edition Jersey
Believe it or not, the 2025-26 NBA regular season is already a month old.
And this Thanksgiving, Nike has given fans plenty to be grateful for with a handful of its new uniforms. Of course, there are some rough ones, too.
We're going to look at all of the 2025-26 "city editions" in today's exercise, and sort all 30 of them from worst to best.
30. Los Angeles Lakers
1 of 30
The Los Angeles Lakers have so much incredible history to potentially mine for a city edition jersey. They're also based in one of the most famous cities in the world, one where the American movie industry has been based for decades.
The potential is seemingly endless, yet one of the two most iconic franchises in league history just ran back a pretty boring concept from 2023-24.
Black just doesn't look as good (or as Lakers) as purple, yellow or even white as a primary color. And rearranging the letters into a triangle just leads to questions.
29. Los Angeles Clippers
2 of 30
Orange feels a little weird for the Los Angeles Clippers, but there is some precedent for it. Previous city editions have had orange trim, and the Buffalo Braves once had orange and black uniforms.
Color really isn't the issue here, either. The jersey just has a sort of generic look and feel to it, which isn't something the non-Lakers team in L.A. should be after.
Some of the Clippers' previous city editions were better efforts to set the organization apart.
28. Dallas Mavericks
3 of 30
There's simple, and then there's totally uninspired. And this Dallas Mavericks jersey feels a little closer to the latter.
This looks like something you might have found in the back of an Eastbay catalog in 2002. The font looks generic. The color scheme is drab (it might work better with blue or white as the primary). And nothing, outside the word itself, really signifies "Dallas," "Mavericks" or "The Wild West," at least not obviously.
A good city edition jersey doesn't have to hit you over the head with whatever it's trying to symbolize, but it should be easier than this to find it.
.png?w=256)
27. Boston Celtics
4 of 30
The trim, numbers and lettering being gold makes sense for the Boston Celtics. They've collected plenty of trophies over the years.
However, this franchise playing basketball games in anything but green feels a little off (even if previous attempts to pair green and gold didn't quite work either).
Yes, there may be a hint of the classic scheme, but it's not enough.
26. Washington Wizards
5 of 30
With the league reviving a bunch of older city editions, Nike and the Washington Wizards not bringing back the cherry blossoms from 2022-23 feels like a missed opportunity.
And that's especially true when you look at the design they did choose. It's essentially just the current away jersey with gold in place of the red and blue.
Since that color isn't an obvious homage to either the city or the team name, it's hard to understand how this was settled on.
25. Sacramento Kings
6 of 30
Purple isn't a common color in the NBA, so it's hard to fault the Sacramento Kings leaning into the fact that they're one of the only teams to rock it.
However, this particular jersey doesn't offer much beyond that, which leads to it looking a little generic.
A splash of some black, more white or even some gold (as a reference to the team name) would have made the look a bit more interesting.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers
7 of 30
The color scheme is different, but the softer tones of this Cleveland Cavaliers kit are reminiscent of 90s-era jerseys donned by Mark Price.
It's not a huge deal, but it's a pleasant detour from the bold, richer reds and blues of years past.
The name "The Land" still just doesn't seem to have a lot of resonance outside Cleveland, though. And while that's not a requirement (city editions are supposed to celebrate a specific place, after all), it also doesn't hurt.
23. Chicago Bulls
8 of 30The Chicago Bulls' 2025-26 city edition jerseys use the red and shade of blue from the city's flag, and then replaces the white with black. It also features the four stars from the flag that represent four key moments in the city's history.
It's a solid, simple design with enough connection to the city to work in this specific slot. It's not perfect, though.
It feels like the red, specifically, may have popped a bit more off a white jersey. And if they were set on black, maybe they could've used a little more light blue.
22. Oklahoma City Thunder
9 of 30
The Oklahoma City Thunder's city edition looks a lot like the 2018-19 version, only with a darker color scheme (that's probably an improvement).
There are nods to the region and its Native American history all over the uniform, and everything ties together well.
It may feel a little busy relative to some of the other jerseys coming out this year, but not to the point that it's a turn-off.
21. Detroit Pistons
10 of 30
Throwing the color scheme back to the teal, red and black of the Detroit Pistons' Grant Hill era is always a good choice, but they didn't quite go far enough here.
A lot of the vibrance gets sort of lost in the black with these jerseys. Going with a different primary (preferably teal) would have made more sense.
Still, this is a nice departure from the typical red, white and blue Detroit's rocked for years.
20. Houston Rockets
11 of 30
The Houston Rockets don't get any points for originality (these are the same as the city editions from the 2023-24 campaign), but it's also hard to fault them for bringing back a fan favorite.
The color scheme and font are simple without being boring. The "dunkstranaut" on the shorts is a fun nod to the city's history with space travel.
And, unlike some of the other city-specific nicknames mentioned throughout the exercise, "H-Town" is one that actually has some traction outside Houston.
19: Charlotte Hornets
12 of 30
The Charlotte Hornets have had some of the league's most iconic jerseys, including the beauties worn by Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues in the 1990s.
Not going with faithful throwbacks to that era puts a little pressure on the new kits.
These may not completely overcome that, but there is a nice nod to the past with the pinstripes. And I'm not necessarily opposed to teams being bold. This orange-to-yellow gradient is certainly that.
It does run the risk of being a little obnoxious, but in concert with a nice contrast from their city edition court, these work.
18. Orlando Magic
13 of 30
Pinstripes are the right way to go for Orlando Magic jerseys. And the organization clearly knows that, as its basic home and away looks both feature them.
With those two and and the alternates taking white, royal blue and black as primary colors, those may have been considered off the table for the city edition.
The gray isn't as strong a backdrop, and the flaring pinstripes aren't as sharp as the typically straight lines. But the stars on the side panel are a fun nod to the team name.
All in all, the jerseys aren't a slam dunk, but they're also not the worst we'll see this season.
17. Milwaukee Bucks
14 of 30
The "Cream City" nickname requires a little explaining (it comes from the yellow-ish/cream-colored bricks commonly used in buildings that went up there in the 1800s).
However, once you get past that (assuming you can), these jerseys are nice.
The cream primary color is a nice backdrop for the dark green and blue used in numbers, letters and trim. And this is another example of a simple design that doesn't cross into boring territory.
16: Utah Jazz
15 of 30
Another team with some fun throwbacks, the Utah Jazz are actually paying some homage to the 1990s look with their regular jerseys in 2025-26.
So, they had an opportunity to do something different with the city editions.
They settled for a more subtle take on an old fan favorite (the red-to-yellow gradients), and it sort of works.
Instead of celebrating the red rocks in the southern part of the state, these jerseys are a nod to the mountains a little further north. The white and light blue pop against the grays. And this is a good example of a less-is-more approach working.
15. New Orleans Pelicans
16 of 30
You don't have to go too far back to find the last time the New Orleans Pelicans had these jerseys.
They rocked them during the 2023-24 campaign, and it's not hard to see why they went back.
There's a hint of purple outlining the letters that gets lost in the block, but it's hard to nitpick much beyond that. The lime green looks good against the black and evokes thoughts of Mardi Gras.
It's a strong nod to New Orleans.
14. Brooklyn Nets
17 of 30
The Brooklyn Nets are bringing back a fan favorite from the pre-Kevin Durant years in 2025-26.
The uniform is a fun mix of the straightforward black-and-white that Brooklyn has had for most of its seasons since moving from New Jersey and a splash of color that's a reference to the city's culturally vibrant Bedford-Stuyvesant (or "Bed-Stuy") neighborhood.
It's simple without being plain, and it's colorful without being too busy. Nike nailed this one.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 30
The Minnesota Timberwolves are reviving their purple city edition jersey from the 2018-19 campaign for an entirely new cast of characters.
In case you missed the explanation the first time around, the color scheme is a nod to Minneapolis' Prince and the song "Purple Rain."
Even without that background, though, it's easy to fall for these jerseys on nothing but aesthetics.
The bright purple contrasts well with the black. The font and overall color scheme are unique but not out of control. Overall, this is a win.
12. Phoenix Suns
19 of 30
This is just a full-fledged retread of the 2020-21 city edition uniform, but it's hard to blame Nike for doing it.
The purple-to-yellow gradient is a solid reference to the desert heat. It contrasts well with the skyline and the black background. And "The Valley," even if it's not a well-known nickname outside Arizona, is an understandable shoutout to the region.
No points for originality on this one, but there's value in going back to something you know works.
11. Portland Trail Blazers
20 of 30
An embrace of the local airport feels kind of weird for an NBA team, especially to the point that its call sign becomes the lone text on the front of the jersey, but just about everything else here works.
The teal looks great against the black. White was the right choice for the lettering and numbering, and the one big stripe across the torso looks sharp.
What really sets these apart, though, is what's contained in that stripe. If you get a close enough look, you'll see some geometric shapes. And the entire pattern is an homage to the carpet in the aforementioned airport. Yes, the carpet.
Is it a little weird? Sure, but the city proudly declares, "Keep Portland Weird." And more importantly for today's exercise, the entire jersey just looks cool.
10. New York Knicks
21 of 30
Nike and the New York Knicks aced this year's city edition.
At first glance, the classic white, orange and blue side panels looks like a straight-up recreation of the jerseys worn in the 1999 NBA Finals, but there's a subtle addition that puts these over the top.
Instead of a solid blue block down the sides, there's a checker pattern that's a nod to the New York subway system.
Altogether, it's a near-perfect blend of old and new for one of the league's most famous franchises.
9. Memphis Grizzlies
22 of 30
These are among the better city editions headed to NBA floors this season.
The color scheme is a classic blue and yellow, with the darker blue providing a nice contrast to the yellow. The subtle pinstripes work well, and the designs around the neckline and down one side are a fun (but not over-the-top) detail.
The Memphis Grizzlies are going to win the style battle with a lot of teams in 2025-26.
8. Atlanta Hawks
23 of 30
The Atlanta Hawks introduced a nice, clean city edition this summer that you can see from several angles here.
The peach is an obvious nod to Georgia, and pairing that with black was a smart way to make it pop.
This is exactly what a city edition should be: A sharp look with a clear connection to the region.
7. Golden State Warriors
24 of 30
The Golden State Warriors returning to jerseys that explicitly honor Oakland—through the use of an oak tree and "The Town" moniker—when they recently bolted for San Francisco could be tough for fans in the team's former home.
That potential awkwardness aside, though, these are some of the best jerseys the Warriors have had in recent years. And the new color scheme adds a retro feel that sets this version apart.
An old favorite with a subtle twist is a smart approach to this season's city edition.
6. Denver Nuggets
25 of 30
The Denver Nuggets are bringing back a previous city edition in 2025-26, with a jersey that honors their run-and-gun teams of the 1980s without going totally retro.
It has the classic Denver skyline design, backed by the mountains and rainbow stripes popularized by legends such as Alex English.
This jersey also has the added benefit of being worn by Jamal Murray during his famous "bubble" playoff run, in which he averaged 31.6 points in the first round.
5. Philadelphia 76ers
26 of 30
The Philadelphia 76ers' 2025-26 city editions are a subtle twist on the beautiful 2019-20 version.
The cursive script is a perfect reference to the nation's founding. The red, white and blue look great together, especially with navy as the primary. And the little hint of gold is a nice nod to the Liberty Bell.
This is a great example of the "less is more" approach leading to an excellent uniform.
4. San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
The fiesta color scheme is always a good choice for the San Antonio Spurs, and this is one of the best designs they've had in recent years.
Last seen in the 2020-21 season, these uniforms combine the straightforward appeal of a black background with the vibrance of those fiesta colors and a fun font above the three simple stripes.
Overall, this modern take on a Spurs classic is a clear win.
3. Indiana Pacers
28 of 30
There's really nothing to nitpick on this one. Nike absolutely nailed the Indiana Pacers' city edition.
It has elements of multiple retro looks, including the lighter color scheme of the late 1980s and striping similar to the early 1990s jerseys worn by Reggie Miller. To top it off, there's a road running through the name of the team, which obviously references race cars.
All in all, the Pacers have a real contender for the best city edition uniforms in the league this season.
2. Miami Heat
29 of 30
The Miami Heat are bringing back one of the best city editions of this entire Nike era with their "Vice" jerseys.
The color scheme and the font screams 1980s Miami. The pink and teal really pop off the black primary color. And there aren't a lot of frills beyond good font and color choice.
Reviving this one was a no-brainer.
1. Toronto Raptors
30 of 30
These jerseys are just awesome.
Start with the fact that they're throwbacks to the best jerseys in franchise history. Add in the stark contrast between black and white, and finish it off with the fun twist of the raptor himself wearing a modern Toronto jersey.
This uniform is one of the easiest A-plusses of the entire exercise.
.png?w=480)
