LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers plays with a ripped jersey during the second half against the Boston Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena on October 17, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
Nike on Tuesday vowed to fix issues with its NBA jerseys after a string of high-profile incidents which have seen shirts torn to shreds.
The opening weeks of the NBA campaign have seen multiple incidents of torn jerseys, creating a public relations headache for Nike in the first season of an eight-year deal as the league’s jersey supplier.
Several of the league’s biggest names, including LeBron James and Draymond Green have been seen wearing tattered shirts since the season began.
Last week, Sixers star Ben Simmons’ shirt was almost completely torn apart as he tussled for the ball during his team’s game with the Indiana Pacers.
Nike said it was working to remedy the situation in a statement on Tuesday.
“Nike always puts the athlete at the center of everything we do and we have worked hard to create the most advanced uniforms in the history of the NBA,” the company said.
“They are lighter and deliver great mobility and sweat wicking characteristics, and the feedback from players has been overwhelmingly positive.
“However, during game play we have seen a small number of athletes experience significant jersey tears.
“We are very concerned to see any game day tear and are working quickly to implement a solve that involves standardizing the embellishment process and enhancing the seam strength of game day jerseys.
“The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance and we are working with the NBA and teams to avoid this happening in the future.”