In comparison to the NFL, the NBA might not be that strict when the topic comes to strict uniform policies and guidelines, but they are known to keep the players from wearing a certain color shoe which deviates from their team colors respectively. But now, for the very first time in the NBA history, that is about to change as the league is allowing players to wear sneakers of their choice at any point during the 2018-19 season, confirmed the league sources. This sudden change in the rule is a part of the league’s ongoing effort to let the players have additional freedom to be expressive on the court.
An individual team still, however, can imply its own set of rules in regards to footwear as well as the color policy outside of the NBA’s loosened stance.
As Nick DePaula of ESPN network noted, Nike was manufacturing NBA’s official uniform for all the thirty teams. As a part of the eight-year deal worth $1 billion of the Swoosh, Nike had been sponsoring the looks of the players and teams aggressively. But just before the 2017-18 season, the Swoosh had announced that the teams would no longer have the default “road” and “home” jerseys and instead were provided Association as well as Icon jersey combinations. Plus, Nike developed City uniforms for all the NBA teams and Classic editions for just a few select clubs.
Besides, this news comes in just a few days after reports of the NBA thinking to make a few changes to the shot clock rule surfaced. As per the reports, the rule included a new shot clock which would reset the timer for a game to 14 seconds after an offensive rebound instead of the old traditional 24 seconds.
Notably, for most of the league’s existence, shoes have been regulated to at least a certain extent. The upcoming season will be the very first season in the NBA history where the players will have full freedom to wear shoes of any color that they want at any given time.
