NBA jerseys and the stories they tell

Photo from NBA PH

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine basketball community is in one with the NBA in celebrating the league’s fifth annual Jersey Day on Monday ahead of the new season’s tip-off.

The staff of Inquirer Sports shared stories of their most beloved NBA jersey to join Filipino fans and basketball enthusiasts around the world before the 2024-25 NBA Season begins on Wednesday (Manila time), headlined by the Boston Celtics’ banner ceremony against the revamped New York Knicks, followed by a showdown matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Michael Jordan, the late Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, three stars in different generations were the favorite jerseys of the Inquirer sports scribes — just like most Filipinos, who marveled at the legacies of the three faces of the NBA.

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Mark Giongco, INQUIRER.net deputy sports editor, shared that Jordan’s Chicago Bulls No. 45 home jersey was his first NBA kit and most memorable one as it contributed to his love for basketball

“I got my first NBA jersey when I was six and it was MJ’s with the number 45. My brother gave it to me and It’s also my favorite because it brings me back to a lot of good memories,” said Giongco.

Aside from Jordan’s iconic No.23, the six-time NBA champion also wore the No. 45 jersey when he made his iconic comeback in the NBA in the spring of 1995, following his short retirement.

INQUIRER.net reporter Rommel Fuertes Jr., who has been a Los Angeles Lakers fan since he started watching the NBA, said that Bryant’s classic yellow jersey is his holy grail after buying it a year after the legend’s tragic passing to honor his hero’s legacy.

“My favorite and only NBA jersey is Kobe Bryant’s classic Yellow jersey because he got me hooked into basketball. Got it about a year after he died to remember him by,” Fuertes said.

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Bryant had a storied NBA career with the Lakers, highlighted by five NBA titles, a season MVP, and one of the greatest scorers in the league.

This author’s first NBA jersey was James’ Cleveland Cavaliers navy blue-clad alternate uniform, which he copped during the star forward’s early years in the league, carrying his team to the NBA Finals in 2007.

“When I was a kid, I knew how strong the Detroit Pistons were. So after witnessing how LeBron took down a powerhouse made me a fan and made me ask my parents to buy his jersey because I knew that he would be great,” he said.

James may have been dominated by the San Antonio Spurs in his first NBA Finals but it didn’t stop him from proving himself as the “Chosen One” winning four MVPs, two championships with the Miami Heat before returning to Cleveland to end its 52-year title drought after a historic comeback from a 1-3 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.

“The King” delivered a championship to the Lakers in 2020 and became the only player in the NBA to score 40,000 points. He is still dominating the league at age 39.

Filipinos continued to participate in the NBA Jersey Day, which started in the 2020-21 season, driving awareness and excitement for the start of the 2024-25 season.

“The Philippines is an extremely important market for the NBA, which continues to feature some of our most passionate fans in the world.  As we tip off the new NBA season, we look forward to working with our partners to create more opportunities for boys and girls to play basketball and introduce new and meaningful ways for Filipinos to experience the excitement of our game,” said Donna Reyes, NBA Philippines Director for Media Distribution.

NBA Philippines hosted a series of pickup games for sports scribes, influencers, and women’s basketball players from the UAAP and Gilas Pilipinas at GameVille in Mandaluyong to celebrate the jersey day.

The NBA Store also offered up to 70% off on selected jerseys at SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall through Monday, which includes a 360° photo booth experience. The company also hosted a social media contest by encouraging the fans to post a picture wearing their NBA or WNBA jersey.