The four former ABA teams dropped their 2026-27 NBA Classic Edition jerseys on Monday, October 12, and every one of them came with a brand new classic court. The Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs are all going back to their ABA roots for the 50th anniversary of the ABA-NBA merger, and we graded all four uniforms and all four floors.
We ranked them on the overall look, jersey and court together, because that is how you will actually see them on TV. Each team gets two grades: one for the jersey and one for the court. We are counting down from No. 4 to No. 1, and the full date list for every uniform is under each team, so you know exactly when to watch.
We first wrote about this set when the Nuggets and Spurs jerseys leaked in September. The leak was right. Here is what the teams actually released.
Why Four NBA Teams Are Wearing ABA Uniforms in 2026-27
On June 17, 1976, the ABA and NBA agreed to merge, and four ABA clubs came into the NBA: the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs. The 2026-27 season is the 50th anniversary of that merger, and all four teams are wearing a Classic Edition uniform from their ABA days to mark it. All four franchises also date back to the ABA's first season in 1967-68, which is why the Nets are billing this as 60 seasons of Nets basketball.
Photo: San Antonio Spurs
Each team has its own version of the ABA-NBA 50th anniversary logo, and it shows up on the jerseys' promo art and on the new courts. The league itself rolled out all four sets together on NBA.com the same day.
4. Denver Nuggets "Throwback Nights" Orange Jersey and ABA Court
Photos: Denver Nuggets
The jersey: Bright orange with black and white trim, the colors of the Denver Rockets, which is what the franchise was called in its ABA years. DENVER is arched across the chest in black with a white outline, the way it looked on the 1970s ABA uniform, and the original Rockets logo sits on the shorts as a nod to the team's pre-Nuggets roots. Denver calls these nights Throwback Nights.
We like it. It is a throwback, and it is simple, and that is what a Classic Edition should be. The only thing holding it back for us is that it looks nothing like the rest of the Nuggets closet. Denver is navy and gold now, and when a jersey does not match a team's usual colors it is harder to love, even when the history behind it is real. That is a B.
Photo: Denver Nuggets
The court: The Nuggets ABA Court has an orange-stained apron, orange lanes, natural wood and the same arched DENVER at center court that is on the jersey. The ABA-NBA 50th logo and a row of old Denver marks run along the baselines, and MILE HIGH BASKETBALL sits on the sideline.
We like this floor a lot more than Denver's regular court, which we graded a C in August. The regular court moved the navy around and shrank the logo. This one just commits to one idea, and the orange looks great against the wood. That is an A-.
When the Nuggets wear it: seven Throwback Nights, all at Ball Arena. Three of them are against other ABA teams: the Pacers on December 27, the Nets on March 1 and the Spurs on March 3. The Pacers, Nets and Spurs are all scheduled to wear their own Classic Editions on those nights, so all three are throwback against throwback.
Nuggets Throwback Nights: All 7 Dates
From the Denver Nuggets’ Throwback Nights jersey schedule, October 12, 2026.
Photo: Denver Nuggets
Every Nuggets jersey for every game is in our Nuggets uniform schedule.
3. San Antonio Spurs "Classic Edition" Silver Jersey and San Antonio Texas Court
Photos: San Antonio Spurs
The jersey: Silver, with the original arched SPURS wordmark, the one where a spur stands in for the U, and black numbers. The shorts bring back the black diamond that frames the spur logo, and an ABA tag sits just above the jock tag. The Spurs say it recreates the original home uniform the team wore at HemisFair Arena after the franchise moved to San Antonio from Dallas in 1973. In their words, before white became home, there was silver.
On its own, it is a nice silver, and that is about it. That is not a knock on the Spurs. They keep their uniforms simple on purpose and save the color for things like the Fiesta looks, and we like that about them. But as a jersey by itself, this one is a B.
Photo: San Antonio Spurs
The court: This is where San Antonio wins. The Spurs Classic Edition court has a blue apron, red lanes and natural wood, and the center circle reads SAN ANTONIO TEXAS in red around a red map of Texas ringed with stars. The ABA-NBA 50th Spurs logo is on the apron, and the spur sits on the wood near the baseline.
The center circle is the best single thing any of these four teams released. It is absolutely incredible. The red, white and blue is the ABA's own color scheme, it is unmistakably Texas, and it makes the silver jersey look better the second you put the two together. The overall look is better than the jersey alone, which is why the Spurs sit above Denver. That court is an A+.
Photos: San Antonio Spurs
When the Spurs wear it: nine Classic Nights. The uniform and the court both debut on Wednesday, November 4 against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center. Seven of the nine are against the other ABA teams, and four of those are nights when the other team is in its Classic Edition too.
Spurs Classic Nights: All 9 Dates
From the San Antonio Spurs’ October 12, 2026 release, as reported by News 4 San Antonio. Home and road from the NBA schedule.
Every Spurs jersey for every game is in our Spurs uniform schedule.
2. Brooklyn Nets "Classic Edition" Jersey and Classic Court
Photos: Brooklyn Nets
The jersey: White, with the red Nets script and its long underline across the chest, red numbers outlined in navy, and red, white and blue piping around the collar, the arm holes and down the sides. Brooklyn's tagline for it is "A Classic, Reborn in Brooklyn," and the whole release is built around 60 seasons of Nets basketball.
This is a great classic. Our only wish is that it popped a little more. The white reads a bit muted, and the piping, which is our favorite part of the uniform, could have been bigger and more prominent. We want to see how it looks under the lights on the court before we fall all the way in love, but it is an A- right now.
Photos: Brooklyn Nets
The court: The Nets Classic Court is a herringbone floor with huge red arcs around the lanes, blue keys and a blue apron. Center court carries a new Sixty Seasons logo (est. 1967, New Jersey, New York, Brooklyn), the baseline has the ABA-NBA 50th logo, and the sideline has a 60th anniversary NETS wordmark printed over the names of every Nets alum.
Great colors, a real pop of color, and it feels like a throwback without trying too hard. It is an A+, and it is the court we would most like to see as a backdrop on our NBA uniform tracker this season.
When the Nets wear it: 16 games, more than any of the other three teams, starting on Opening Night. Five of the 16 are against ABA teams that will also be in their Classic Edition.
Nets Classic Edition: All 16 Dates
From the Brooklyn Nets’ Classic Edition uniform schedule and the Nets’ official schedule page.
Photo: Brooklyn Nets
Every Nets jersey for all 80 dated games is in our Nets uniform schedule.
1. Indiana Pacers "Classic Threads" Blue ABA Jersey and Classic Court
Photos: Indiana Pacers
The jersey: Indiana calls it Classic Threads, and it recreates the Pacers' blue ABA road uniform from 1971 to 1974: royal blue, a white arched INDIANA, yellow traditional block numbers, an ABA logo patch at the jock tag, and an asymmetrical yellow and white racing stripe that runs over one shoulder and down the side. The team says the stripe was designed to create a sense of continuous motion as players move down the floor, and that the Pacers won two of their three ABA championships in this look.
We absolutely love it. The pop of blue is fantastic, and it fits where the Pacers are going as a brand, toward brighter colors, the same direction the Timberwolves went. That is an A+, the best jersey of the four.
Photo: Indiana Pacers
The court: The Pacers' Classic Court is inspired by two of the team's old ABA courts. The lanes are plaid, honoring Bobby "Slick" Leonard, the coach who led all three ABA title teams. The years 1970, 1972 and 1973 are on the floor for those three championships, the silhouette of the ABA championship trophy sits at center court, and banners honor George McGinnis, Mel Daniels, Roger Brown and Leonard, the Hall of Famers who built that dynasty.
The court is beautiful. The plaid is a detail you could only do in Indiana, and it is packed with history without looking busy. It is an A, and paired with the best jersey of the set, it makes the Pacers our No. 1.
When the Pacers wear it: 15 games, which Indiana is calling ABA Days, home and road. Six of them are against other ABA teams in their Classic Editions, including a blue vs orange night at Denver on December 27.
Pacers ABA Days: All 15 Dates
From the Indiana Pacers’ ABA Days uniform schedule, October 12, 2026.
Photo: Indiana Pacers
Every Pacers jersey for every game is in our Pacers uniform schedule.
Every ABA vs ABA Classic Edition Game in 2026-27: When Both Teams Wear Throwbacks
These are the nine nights when both teams are scheduled to wear their Classic Edition, according to each team's own schedule. If you only watch a few of these games, watch these.
Classic vs Classic: All 9 Nights
The one to keep an eye on is December 23. Silver vs white is not much contrast, and both the Nets and the Spurs list it as a Classic night. We will see what actually shows up on the floor.
How We Graded the Classic Edition Jerseys and Courts
Each team got two letter grades, one for the jersey and one for the court, and the ranking is based on the overall look with both together. A great court can lift a plain jersey, which is exactly what happened in San Antonio. Here is the full ranking:
Final Ranking: Jersey and Court Grades
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NBA teams have ABA Classic Edition uniforms in 2026-27?
Four: the Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs. They are the four ABA teams that joined the NBA in the 1976 merger, and the uniforms mark the merger's 50th anniversary. All four released their uniforms and new courts on October 12, 2026.
What is the best NBA Classic Edition jersey for 2026-27?
We ranked the Indiana Pacers' blue Classic Threads uniform No. 1, with an A+ for the jersey and an A for the court. The Nets are No. 2, the Spurs No. 3 and the Nuggets No. 4.
When do the Nuggets wear the orange Throwback Nights jersey?
Seven home games at Ball Arena: December 27 vs the Pacers, January 21 vs the Wizards, February 4 vs the Mavericks, February 11 vs the Bulls, March 1 vs the Nets, March 3 vs the Spurs and April 8 vs the Clippers.
When do the Pacers wear the blue ABA uniform?
Fifteen ABA Days: October 25 at Brooklyn, October 26 at Milwaukee, November 1 vs Brooklyn, November 4 at Memphis, November 9 at Dallas, November 22 at New York, December 13 vs Detroit, December 27 at Denver, December 29 vs the Clippers, January 6 at San Antonio, January 9 vs Milwaukee, January 30 vs Washington, February 13 vs Sacramento, March 15 at Brooklyn and March 25 vs San Antonio.
When do the Nets wear the Classic Edition jersey?
Sixteen games, starting on Opening Night, October 21 vs Charlotte. The full list is October 21, October 25, November 1, November 18, November 23, November 28, December 18, December 23, December 27, January 9, March 1, March 4, March 15, March 25, April 4 and April 9. Every date with its opponent is in the Nets section above.
When do the Spurs wear the silver Classic Edition uniform?
Nine Classic Nights: November 4 vs Dallas (the debut), December 18 vs Chicago, December 23 at Brooklyn, January 6 vs Indiana, February 28 vs Denver, March 3 at Denver, March 18 vs Brooklyn, March 25 at Indiana and April 9 vs Denver.
When does the Spurs' new court debut?
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center, the same night as the Classic Edition uniform.
Where can I buy the 2026-27 Classic Edition jerseys?
The Nets say their Classic Edition uniform is available on October 19. The Spurs' collection goes on presale October 13 at 10 a.m. Central and on sale October 20 at Spurs fan shops and SpursFanShop.com. The Nuggets and Pacers had not posted a retail date when we published, and we will add them when they do.
Why are the Nuggets orange?
Before they were the Nuggets, the franchise was the Denver Rockets in the ABA, and the Rockets wore orange, black and white. The Throwback Nights jersey brings back those Rockets-era colors and puts the original Rockets logo on the shorts.
What do the plaid lanes on the Pacers court mean?
They honor Bobby "Slick" Leonard, who coached the Pacers to ABA championships in 1970, 1972 and 1973. Those three years are also on the court, with the ABA championship trophy at center court.
What is on the Spurs' Classic Edition court?
A SAN ANTONIO TEXAS center circle in red around a map of Texas and a ring of stars, red lanes, a blue apron, and the Spurs' ABA-NBA 50th anniversary logo. It is our favorite design of the whole release.
Is this the same as the leaked Nuggets and Spurs jerseys?
Yes. The orange Nuggets and silver Spurs jerseys that leaked on Instagram in September are the real Classic Edition uniforms.
The Bottom Line on the NBA Classic Edition Jerseys and Courts
The Pacers win the ABA 50th anniversary set with a blue Classic Threads jersey we love and a plaid-lane court that is all Indiana. The Nets are a close second with a great white classic and one of the best courts in the league, the Spurs ride an incredible SAN ANTONIO TEXAS center circle to No. 3, and the Nuggets' orange Throwback Nights look is a good throwback with a court that beats their regular floor. Start with the nine ABA vs ABA nights, beginning October 25 when the Pacers visit Brooklyn.
ColorWay Sports is an independent design site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Basketball Association or any of its teams. Uniform and court images are team-released promotional images, credited to each team.
