New Unis Tonight

A press release from NIKE:

On Wednesday, February 10, the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team will introduce the latest elite fit from Nike for college basketball, the Nike Hyper Elite uniform which is 70 percent lighter than a traditional elite level basketball uniform.

UConn will be one of several teams in college hoops that will debut the Nike Hyper Elite uniforms this month, which celebrates the rich spirit, tradition and culture of the nation’s top basketball programs.

Paying tribute to the success and history of UConn basketball, Nike designers worked with the university to create a distinctive look for the Huskies. Inspired in part by the program’s two national championships, the UConn jerseys feature two stars representing the two NCAA titles.

Three oak leaves and two acorns are placed at the top of the design, which represents the potential and the desire to grow toward perfection. The ceiling of the Business Building located on the campus, along with the establishment year of the university, 1881, represents the central focal point of the design. An image of UConn’s famed Husky mascot helps to complete the design.

UConn’s new uniforms incorporate several Nike innovations that were originally introduced in Beijing. The Hyper Elite uniforms take advantage of Nike Aerographics - an engineered mesh providing zoned cooling that reduces up to half the yarn, making the uniforms more lightweight and breathable.

Nike made specific adjustments to the jersey, eliminating 13 inches of material, while the use of Dri-FIT woven fabric in the short reduced its weight to six ounces, 66 percent lighter than a traditional elite level basketball short. Overall, the Nike Hyper Elite uniform is a striking 70 percent lighter than the traditional basketball uniform.

Dri-FIT technical fabric is a moisture-wicking material that provides increased comfort and thermo regulation to help enable players perform at their optimal level on the court. The Nike Hyper Elite uniform also dries 30 percent faster compared to a standard professional level short when wet.

Completing the new elite fit for UConn is the Nike Pro Combat, an ergonomically designed base layer that provides basketball-specific protective padding without restricting mobility on the court.