Nike's Specter Edition is a dark fifth jersey for the NBA's eight oldest teams: the Celtics, Hawks, Kings, Knicks, Lakers, Pistons, 76ers and Warriors. All eight share the same template, a black base with one glowing graphic, and they hit the court between November 29 and December 29. (They're also the eight jerseys going around this week as "Christmas jerseys". As of now, none are scheduled for Christmas Day.)
Same template, very different results. One of them is great, a couple are fun, and a few look like nobody finished them. Here are all eight, counted down from the worst to the best.
Quick Answers
- What is the best Specter Edition jersey? The Detroit Pistons', with red and blue flames on black.
- What is the worst? The Golden State Warriors'. The graphic only covers one side.
- What makes the good ones work? A real idea tied to the team (Detroit's hot-rod flames, Boston's green) or real color (Atlanta).
- When do teams wear them? Three home games each, between November 29 and December 29. The Pistons, Warriors, Knicks and Kings go first on November 29.
8. Golden State Warriors
Image via NBA
Black, with a gold Warriors wordmark and gold numbers, and a royal blue bridge graphic that runs down only one side of the jersey. The other side is plain black, so it looks half finished. The Warriors have one of the best color sets in the league, and this buries most of it. Gold on black is nice, but that's all this has going for it.
Specter nights (all at home): Nov. 29, Dec. 1, Dec. 22. Warriors uniform schedule
7. Sacramento Kings
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A purple glow rising from the bottom of a black jersey, a nod to the "Light the Beam" tradition after Kings home wins. Good idea, and Sacramento's purple looks great against black. But once you get past the glow it's just a black jersey with a little purple on it. It's simple and not bad, just forgettable.
Specter nights (all at home): Nov. 29, Nov. 30, Dec. 23. Kings uniform schedule
6. New York Knicks
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The jersey without the jacket. Image: Nike/NBA
Hard to see on the runway, because the model wore a jacket over it. Flat, it's black with blurry royal blue stripes running top to bottom, orange trim at the neck and arms, and a small "NEW YORK" over an orange number. The stripes are a fun nod to classic Knicks pinstripes, and it's the lightest jersey in the set. But blurry blue on black reads as muddy from a distance, and the orange barely shows.
Specter nights (all at home): Nov. 29, Dec. 23, Dec. 27. Knicks uniform schedule
5. Los Angeles Lakers
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Dark purple with a satin-like sheen over black, plus gold numbers and wordmark. The purple is so dark it reads almost black on TV, and the gold barely shows up. For a team whose whole identity is purple and gold, it's too quiet. Not bad, just right in the middle.
Specter nights (all at home): Dec. 14, Dec. 21, Dec. 23. Lakers uniform schedule
4. Philadelphia 76ers
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Glowing red stars down the sides of a black jersey. The stars are the best detail in the whole Specter set, and they actually tie to the team's look. The problem is everything else. The 76ers have red, white and royal blue to work with, and the middle of this jersey is just black.
Specter nights (all at home): Dec. 1, Dec. 12, Dec. 17. 76ers uniform schedule
3. Boston Celtics
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Mostly Celtics green, with a darker green glow swirling through it and white numbers. It's the one jersey in the set that still looks exactly like the team from a distance. Boston owns that green, and letting it take over the dark template was the right call. A little busy up close, but it works.
Specter nights (all at home): Dec. 2, Dec. 14, Dec. 20. Celtics uniform schedule
2. Atlanta Hawks
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Bright blue, teal and lime brushstrokes across the whole front. These aren't Atlanta's colors, and it doesn't matter, because it's the brightest and most fun jersey in the set. Every other team got a black jersey with a little color on it. Atlanta got actual color.
Specter nights (all at home): Dec. 3, Dec. 23, Dec. 29. Hawks uniform schedule
1. Detroit Pistons
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Not close. Red and blue flames rising from the waist and coming down from the shoulders, with teal trim, on a black base. Flames are usually a bad idea on a jersey, but this is the Motor City, and hot-rod flames are part of Detroit. It's the only one of the eight where the dark base and the graphic feel like they belong together. This is the one we'd buy.
Specter nights (all at home): Nov. 29, Dec. 14, Dec. 18. Pistons uniform schedule
The Bottom Line
The Specter template is dark, and most teams didn't fight it. The three best (Detroit, Atlanta and Boston) are the ones that brought something bright enough to beat the black: flames, real color, or a green everybody already knows. The rest are black jerseys with a little team color on them, and the Warriors couldn't even finish the graphic.
Want the design breakdown and every date in one place? See our Specter Edition explainer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best NBA Specter Edition jersey?
The Detroit Pistons'. Red and blue hot-rod flames on a black base with teal trim. It is the only one of the eight where the dark template and the graphic feel like they belong together.
What is the worst NBA Specter Edition jersey?
The Golden State Warriors'. Gold lettering on black is fine, but the blue bridge graphic only runs down one side, so the jersey looks unfinished.
Which teams have Specter Edition jerseys?
Eight: the Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors. Nike gave the line to the league's eight oldest franchises.
When do NBA teams wear the Specter Edition jerseys?
Three home games per team, 24 games in all, between November 29 and December 29, 2026, per the NBA's uniform schedule.
Are the Specter Edition jerseys Christmas jerseys?
Not on the current schedule. They leaked in April labeled as Christmas jerseys, and this week's reports call them that again, but the NBA's uniform schedule has no Specter games on December 25. What every team wears on Christmas.
Is the Specter Edition the same as City Edition?
No. City Edition is a separate jersey every team gets each season. The Specter Edition is a fifth jersey for only these eight teams.
Why do all the Specter jerseys look so similar?
They share one Nike template: a black base, the Nike logo moved toward the middle of the chest, a smaller wordmark and the player's name low on the back, under the number. Each team adds its own graphic.
