HOW TO SPOT A FAKE NIKE NBA JERSEY?

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How can you tell what is an authentic Nike NBA jersey when you are looking to purchase one online?   It is so hard nowadays because there are so many jerseys flooding the online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Instagram, Wish and so many various websites.  Many independent sellers will sell counterfeit jerseys and try to pass them off as authentic Nike branded jerseys. 

Knock-off jerseys try to replicate the Nike NBA Swingman jerseys.  The fake Nike NBA jerseys are made of cheap materials, have no quality standards, and are prone to breaking down after a few washes. 

We have done the research and want to help provide you with insightful tips and tricks to finding counterfeit/fake Nike NBA jerseys.  With these tips, you can avoid being scammed into paying retail prices ($50-$110) for fake low-quality jerseys. 

Link to: Fanatics.com(Official Partners of the NBA)-NBA Jerseys

FAKE NIKE JERSEY (above)

                                              NIKE SWINGMAN (above)        

DO YOU NOTICE?

What jumps out to you when you first see the jerseys side by side?  Is it the placement of the “Lakers” being significantly lower?  The wrong color gold/purple?  The lob-sided placement of the Nike Connect patch? There are multiple differences if you really put them side by side.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR?

As hard as it is to differentiate authentic NIKE and fake NIKE NBA jerseys when shopping online, there are many ways to tell the fakes from the real.  These details are easily overlooked, but we will break down the key points of what to look for online.  Hopefully, this can help you make better decisions while shopping for NIKE NBA jerseys.

1. JERSEY COLOR

• Look closely at the jersey base color. The fake Nike jerseys do not always have the correct shade of colors on their team’s basketball jerseys.
• In the pictures below, the fake jersey has a darker shade than the official Nike NBA jerseys.

2. LETTERING/NUMBERING

• Fake NBA jerseys will have stitched lettering and numbering on the jersey.  As great as it sounds to some people, the quality standard are not great.  Stitching can be incomplete, loose, and sloppy.  Which can cause unraveling of the lettering and numbers.

(You can see loose stitching on the numbering, these issues are overlooked in production.  This can lead to unraveling the stitching during washes)

The Nike Swingman jerseys use a very flexible polyester that are perfectly heat pressed onto the jersey. Nike has a quality standard and jerseys are inspected before being sent to the stores. Therefore, issues of defects will be caught and not sent into the retail space.

3. NIKE PATCH/NIKECONNECT

• Fake NBA jerseys try to replicate the Nike/NBA patch on the real Nike Swingman jerseys. Look below at the difference between the 2 patches.

• The fake jersey does not have the same clean finish, letter fonts, and logo.
• RED FLAG ALERT: If the jersey has a “+” sign next to the Nike symbol, the jersey is fake.  The Nike Swingman jerseys DO NOT have a “+” sign near the Nike logo.  APPLICABLE FOR 2020 NIKE JERSEYS
• Real Nike jerseys have this technology that works with the Nike Connect app. By tapping the phone on the Nike tag, it will automatically launch the team’s Nike highlight page.  On the fake jerseys, the app will not launch nor work.

• RED FLAG ALERT: If you turn the jersey inside out and look at the Nike Connect patch, you will see a huge clue to check for authenticity.  Closely look at where the Nike symbol would be.  On the NIKE Swingman jersey, you see a circular object.  Essentially, it is the technology that helps activate the Nike Connect app.  If your jersey does not have it, the Nike Connect app will not work.
• These 2 jerseys are both size mediums but have different sizing numbers. Here are the official size numbers for the Nike Swingman jerseys.

SIZING NUMBERS

4. HANG TAGS

• RED FLAG ALERT: Fake NBA jerseys will NOT have a hologram on their hang tags. 
• To keep manufacturing costs low, this detail is skipped and has a basic NBA logo on their hang tags.

• Hang tags on fake NBA jerseys will be placed on the collar of the jersey.
• Nike Swingman NBA jerseys will have their hang tags (multiple tags) on the armholes of the jersey. They will be on both sides of the jersey with detailed information.  (See pictures below)

 5. NIKE SWOOSH

• The fake NBA jerseys will have their Nike logo embroidered onto the jersey. If you look at the sizing of the fake Nike Swoosh, it is much smaller than the Nike Swingman jersey (Notice the loose thread on the logo as well)
• Many counterfeit jerseys that have the fake Nike Swoosh, all vary in size depending on the manufacturer. Some can be lopsided, small, oversized, and have poor placement compared to the real jersey.
• The Nike Swingman jerseys have an exceptionally clean and detailed Nike Swoosh that is heat pressed onto the jersey. They always come in a standard size with pinpoint placement.

6.NBA LOGO

• The fake NBA jerseys have the Jerry West NBA logo printed and stitched on. The quality of the printed logo is cheap, and the colors are very dull.
• Nike NBA Swingman jerseys have a plastic/polyester logo heat pressed onto the jersey. The colors are brighter and has a shiny finish.
• The fake NBA logo is much skinnier than the Nike jersey.

7. INTERIOR

• RED FLAG ALERT: Fake Nike NBA jerseys will skim over cleaning the paper materials that come with the stitched lettering/numbers and tons of loose stitching.
• Since NIKE NBA Swingman jerseys have heat pressed lettering/numbers, it does not have the mess in the interior.

 8. Wash Tag

• Red Flag Alert: The fake Nike NBA jerseys will NOT have wash tags.
• These are a little detail that is looked over but is an immediate sign to differentiate fake from authentic branded items.
• When you flip the authentic branded NIKE jersey inside out, (bottom right side of the jersey) you will see wash tags.

9. TELL-TALE SIGNS THAT THEY ARE FAKE NIKE JERSEYS:

1. If you find this square on your “Nike” jersey, IT IS FAKE. (See picture above)
2. If you there are NO wash instructions inside the jersey, IT IS FAKE.
3. If you find the "+" symbol on the NikeConnect patch, IT IS FAKE. (FOR 2020 NIKE JERSEYS)
4. If you the Nike Connect app does not work on the jersey, IT IS FAKE.
5. If you see the interior picture of the jersey and looks like a mess, IT IS FAKE.

When you are shopping online, it can be hard to differentiate the authentic branded products from the fake Nike jerseys.  With this information, we hope this can help you make the best decisions when looking for Nike NBA jerseys.  The safest and best way to get legit products are from the official NBA site and licensed retailers like NBA SHOP, Fanatics, Nike, Mitchell and Ness, Footlocker and Champ Sports.  If you do end up shopping with independent online sellers, do not be afraid to ask questions and ask for more pictures.  If they are genuine and trustworthy people, this will be no issue to accommodate your questions and concerns. 

 Thanks for reading

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THE SAFEST AND EASIEST COMPANY TO SHOP FOR NBA JERSEYS:

Fanatics.com(click here for a direct link to their NBA collection):

https://fanatics.ncw6.net/c/2582645/612762/9663

NBA Jerseys