Image via Basketball Jersey Archive
We are Lakers fans here at ColorWay Sports, and that makes this grade sting even more. The Los Angeles Lakers' 2026 Christmas Day jersey is a letdown. It features a dark purple satin texture layered over a black base, and the result is a jersey that feels way too muted for a franchise built on showtime energy and one of the most recognizable color palettes in all of sports.
We graded the entire 2026 NBA Christmas jersey collection and the Lakers' entry was one of the more disappointing designs in the set. The purple is there, but it is buried under so much darkness that you almost have to squint to see it. The gold barely shows up at all. For a team whose identity is literally purple and gold, this jersey does not do nearly enough with either color.
Not Enough Purple, Not Enough Pop
The satin texture is fine as a concept. We get what Nike was going for. But the execution just does not deliver the color pop that this team deserves. The purple reads almost black under most lighting, and there is no contrasting element that makes the design jump off the screen. We really wish they had leaned harder into the purple. Give us a rich, vibrant Forum Blue that fills the jersey and commands attention. Instead, we got something that blends into the dark aesthetic of the rest of the collection without standing on its own.
Image via Basketball Jersey Archive
The Lakers have a long history of looking great on Christmas Day. Think about those white hot-pressed jerseys under the lights at Staples Center and Crypto.com Arena. Those looks were clean, bright, and felt like an event. This 2026 version does not carry that same weight. It feels like a step backward from what we have come to expect from the Lakers on the biggest regular season stage of the year.
How It Stacks Up
Image via Basketball Jersey Archive
Compared to teams like the Hawks, who got bold brushstrokes and actual color in their Christmas design, the Lakers jersey feels drab. It is not the worst jersey in the collection, but for a franchise with this much brand equity and visual history, landing in the middle of the pack is not good enough. The Lakers should never have a forgettable Christmas jersey, and this one is dangerously close to that.
Check out our Full 2026 NBA Christmas Jersey Rankings to see where every team landed.
The Grade
The Los Angeles Lakers 2026 Christmas Day jersey earns a C from us. The satin texture concept had potential, but the lack of color kills it. More purple, more gold, more of what makes the Lakers the Lakers. This one needed to be bolder.
