New Uniform to Debut at 2009 NBA All Star Game in Phoenix

Most Innovative basketball uniform system introduced for the first time; design takes style cues from city of Phoenix

NEW YORK and PORTLAND, Ore. - The National Basketball Association and adidas today unveiled the most innovative basketball uniform ever, which will debut at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix.

The NBA All-Star uniform features a number of technological enhancements and was in development for over two years by adidas. The uniform is 30 percent lighter than a traditional basketball uniform and features adidas’ Formotion technology which reduces seams, decreases friction and optimizes the player’s natural movement. The jersey has strategically placed ClimaCool zones which conduct heat away from the body through a combination of ventilation channels, three-dimensional fabrics, and materials that disperse heat and moisture.

The uniform was designed to work hand-in-hand with adidas TECHFIT PowerWeb and Padded compression for optimal performance on the court.  TECHFIT PowerWeb combines compression fabrics and a web of strategically placed Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) powerbands to boost power to key muscle groups, generating up to a four percent increase in vertical leap.  TECHFIT Padded protects athletes with flexibility and impact resistance.

The uniform design was inspired by the aesthetics and history of the city of Phoenix with colors representing the earth, desert, sun and sky. The design elements will be integrated throughout the entire adidas NBA All-Star on-court and fan apparel collections. The jerseys feature various shades of horizontal lines that resemble Arizona’s iconic rock formations. The flame design on the shorts represents the story of the mythical bird, the Phoenix, for which the city is named. Holding with recent tradition, the All-Stars from the host team’s conference will wear white uniforms. The West All-Star uniforms will be white, gold and desert red, a color scheme inspired by the colors of the 2009 NBA All-Star logo and the uniforms of the host team Phoenix Suns. The East All-Star uniforms will be navy, silver and sunset blue.

“The 2009 All-Star uniform embraces the tradition of NBA All-Star, captures the spirit of the city of Phoenix, and respects the honor bestowed upon the players who are selected to the All-Star team,” said Vice President of NBA Global Merchandising Group Christopher Arena. “adidas understands our players and what it takes to be an All-Star, which is why they’ve put the best of their innovative performance technologies and their world-class design team into the development of this uniform.”

“The 2009 NBA All-Star uniform will be the first-ever fully integrated uniform system in the NBA, and represents adidas’ dedication to innovation to help athletes improve their performance,” said adidas Vice President of Global Basketball Lawrence Norman.  “With the long list of featured technologies and subsequent benefits, athletes will have the opportunity to be quicker and jump higher.”

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