The NBA is moving to Nike having its jersey license starting in 2017-18, and the Charlotte Hornets are getting something different.
The Hornets will be the only NBA team to have jerseys licensed by Jumpman
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
While the rest of the league will have the Nike swoosh on their jerseys, Michael Jordan pulled those strings and made sure his Hornets would be under his Jumpman brand.
Jumpman and Nike are under the same umbrella, so it’s not THAT strange, but it is bizarre in professional sports in America. The last time the NBA had split jersey licenses was in 2001-02 when the league was divided in thirds among Nike, Reebok and Champion. However, this is the first instance of a single team having a different license than the rest of the league.
It also is the first time an owner’s image has been on his team’s jersey.
