The NBA's city edition jerseys have gotten their fair share of complaints. However, not all of them have been complete misses. Here are the best and worst Los Angeles Lakers city edition jerseys that we've seen throughout the years.
7. 2023-24 City Edition Jerseys
According to the NBA.com, these 'California Dream' jerseys, "tell a story of what the Lakers have become. The black uniform signifies when they first arrived to L.A., they didn't know who they were going to be."
I admit the 'LAL' on the shorts belt buckle is pretty cool. These city edition jerseys are supposed to be a nod to the sixties logo, Los Angeles sunsets, and the debut of the L.A. partial logo. Although the black and purple color scheme is nice here, the font looks too triangular. The "N" in 'Los Angeles" being front and center is all my brain can think about. It's just too busy — not the Lakers' best work.
6. 2018-19 City Edition Jerseys
What happened to the legendary Lakers' purple and gold? Once again with the purple and black. The "Los Angeles" portion of the text looks crammed onto the jersey. The pinstripes aren't even pinstripes, they actually display the message "3x5xSHOWTIME", which symbolizes Johnson's MVPs and titles. In addition, an "M" is featured on the waistband. Cool detail, but necessary?
As part of the Lakers' "lore series", this uniform was designed by a former Lakers legend. If you couldn't tell, this was Magic Johnson's design. At the time, he was president of basketball operations for the Lakers. Sadly, among the other "lore series" jerseys, this is the worst. I like the Lakers team that wore them. However, there's just too much Magic Johnson and not enough Los Angeles Lakers going on here, in my opinion.
5. 2022-23 City Edition Jerseys
According to the team, this LA Lakers' City Edition uniform is "intentionally stripped back" to represent "how to transform a blank page into a world of possibility." In addition, this was the first time Los Angeles has been used on the front of the uniform since the 1960s. The concentric circle design symbolizes bringing all of Los Angeles together.
Overall, it's a clean looking jersey. There's not too much going on, so there's not much to critique. The subtle purple and black accents look nice against the white. It's Sacramento Kings-ish, but oh well.
4. 2019-20 City Edition Jerseys
Shaquille O'Neal did a great job designing these 2019-20 City Edition jerseys. Besides leaning into the famous Lakers gold, he included tons of cool details. For instance, "Dr. Buss" is etched onto the rear portion of the waistband, in the style of the Hollywood sign. In addition, stars featuring the Lakers' retired numbers run down the sides.
When he designed these, Shaq wanted to make sure people didn't forget about the other great Lakers — a nice homage from the Big Diesel. The classic white Lakers logo really stands out. It's reminiscent of early 2000s Lakers swag. It's traditional, yet nuanced. Overall, aside from being stylish, this jersey is an excellent tribute to the past Lakers. Way to go Shaq.
3. 2020-21 City Edition Jerseys
Any time the Lakers use that powder blue, it works out. These city editions came right after the Lakers 2020 NBA championship. The modern "Lakers" font pairs nicely with the old-school Minneapolis Lakers blue. It's the closest we've gotten to the royal blue 1961-1962 Lakers uniforms. Overall, a great city edition jersey. You'd expect nothing less from the reigning champs.
2. 2021-22 City Edition Jerseys
According to the Lakers statement:
"From head to toe, the primary color is the iconic Laker Purple that emerged in the late 1960s. The stars surrounding the uniform number evoke the groundbreaking Minneapolis Lakers of the early 1960s. The belt buckle includes the famous "L" logo from the three-peat era of the 2000s and the shorts incorporate the baby blue from its original championship teams in Minneapolis - the squads that laid the foundation for a franchise unlike any other."
On this jersey, you'll find the classic white Lakers logo with a unique purple and blue colorway. It's refreshing to see that powder blue paired with purple instead of the usual gold. Nice design, overall. It's a bit Charlotte Hornets for me, but a lot of people really liked these, and for good reason. They're fun. Big fan of the white and blue trim on the neck and the shoulders — very nicely done.
1. 2017-18 City Edition Jerseys
When it was Kobe Bryant's turn to design the Lakers' "Lore series," he didn't let us down. There's something sleek about this jersey. The use of snake skin is subtle, but eye-catching. It's the first time the Lakers have opted for a predominantly black uniform, and it works.
I might be biased. Partly because it's Kobe Bryant, but mostly because I can't look at these jerseys without thinking about Andre Ingram's 32-year-old NBA debut. In my opinion, this is the best Lakers City Edition jersey. You can't expect anything less from Kobe Bryant, can you?