Not all NBA jerseys are stitched. I own and review all 5 types of NBA fan jerseys. Quickly, here’s what you need to know:
- Nike Swingman – This is Nike’s more affordable replica option. These are very popular among fans, but they are not embroidered. Great option if you don’t want to pay up for the embroidered authentic jerseys. Slim fit, if you prefer baggy, size up. Click here to view the Nike Swingman jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Nike Authentic – These are the authentic jerseys. These jerseys have all the premium finishes, including stitched numbers and graphics. They have a slim fit, and you will need to size up if you prefer a baggy fit. Click here to view the Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Fanatics Fast Break Jersey – Another affordable replica jersey. It is made by Fanatics, not Nike. If you are operating on a tight budget, I suggest checking it out. These are not stitched. This jersey has a true-to-size regular fit. Click here to view the Fanatics Fast Break jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Mitchell & Ness Swingman – Mitchell & Ness makes classic throwback jerseys. The Swingman version is the more affordable option, but these jerseys still have awesome quality, including stitched graphics on most jerseys. This jersey is not as slim as the Nike jerseys. I recommend ordering your normal sizing. Click here to view the Mitchell & Ness Swingman throwback collection at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Mitchell & Ness Authentic – These are also throwback authentic jerseys. They are stitched. These authentic throwbacks are some of the most coveted fan jerseys. Click here to view the Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
This is the type of jersey I would recommend if you are wanting premium sewn-on, stitched graphics (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
In this article I will discuss all 5 types of NBA jerseys (and use photos of the jerseys I own) so that you know which jerseys have embroidered and stitched graphics. These are the 5 types of NBA jerseys which we will discuss:
- Nike Swingman
- Nike Authentic
- Mitchell & Ness Swingman
- Mitchell & Ness Authentic
- Fanatics Fast Break
Are NBA jerseys stitched?
If you’re going to spend serious money on a jersey, you want quality. Nobody like a screen-printed jersey that washes off after one season of use. If you are looking for NBA jerseys that have stitched graphics, what are your options? Are NBA jerseys stitched?
Yes, some (but not all) NBA jerseys are stitched. These are the 3 jerseys types that have some sort of stitched finishing:
- Nike Authentic (my recommendation)
- Mitchell & Ness Swingman
- Mitchell & Ness Authentic
Mitchell & Ness makes awesome jerseys, but it is important to understand that they only make classic throwback jerseys. If you are wanting a stitched jersey for a current NBA player or team, you will need to stick to the Nike Authentic jerseys. Let’s go through NBA fan jerseys in the order below and discuss their finishes:
Stitched
- Nike Authentic
- Mitchell & Ness Swingman
- Mitchell & Ness Authentic
Not Stitched
- Nike Swingman
- Fanatics Fast Break
Nike Authentic
Are Nike Authentic Jerseys Stitched?
Yes, Nike Authentic jerseys are stitched. They are engineered with the exact specifications of the jerseys the players wear. Nike Authentic jerseys are the jerseys I recommend if you are wanting a premium, stitched jerseys.
Why do I recommend Nike Authentic jerseys if you are wanting sewn-on graphics? Mainly for two reasons:
- Out of the 3 types of jerseys that have sewn-on graphics, only the Nike Authentic jerseys offer current players and current teams. Mitchell & Ness only makes classic throwback jerseys. So if you are wanting stitched graphics for a current player/team, you will need to stick to the Nike Authentic jerseys.
- Nike Authentic jerseys are the best fan jersey you can buy. They are engineered with the exact specifications of the jerseys the players wear on the court. Owning an authentic jersey instead of only a replica jersey is something many fans want, and the Nike Authentic jerseys fulfill that desire for fans.
This is the current price of the Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com). Because this is the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the court, these jerseys are more expensive than other jersey types.
Here is a look at the premium finishes on my Nike Authentic Embiid jersey:
As you can see, the Nike Authentic jerseys feature sewn-on jerseys numbers and player names just like the jerseys the players wear. They also have custom finishes like the sewn-on gold championship badge on the back neckline and the team tagline stitched above the jock tag (which is available in some jersey types depending on team).
How do Nike Authentic jerseys fit?
Nike Authentic jerseys have an athletic, slim fit. I did not have to size up, but it was close. If you are in between sizes, size up. If you prefer a baggy fit you will need to size up at least one size. If you want to read more about the Nike Authentic jerseys (including fit), visit my Nike Authentic Jersey Review.
(6’3″ 200 pounds size 44)
For comparison, here I am wearing a medium t-shirt:
And here is the size 44 Nike Authentic compared to a medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:
Where to buy Nike Authentic jerseys?
This is where you can browse the entire selection of Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com). NBAStore.com is the official online shop of the NBA.
I recommend buying authentic jerseys from a reputable source like NBAStore.com to help ensure you are getting the real thing. Because Nike Authentic jerseys are so valuable, there are fakes out there on the re-sale market.
Mitchell & Ness
Are Mitchell and Ness Jerseys Stitched?
Yes, the Mitchell & Ness jerseys that I own do have sewn-on and embroidered graphics. Again, Mitchell & Ness specializes in making classic throwback jerseys for past superstars and past classic jersey styles. If you are looking for the jersey of a current player/team, you will want to stick to Nike or Fanatics Brand.
*It is important to note that Mitchell and Ness is tasked with making classic throwback jerseys from several different eras in the NBA. This means that certain jerseys may have different features than other jerseys just due to the era the jersey comes from. The features I list below are specific to the jerseys I own and may not be true across all Mitchell and Ness NBA jerseys.
These are my 7 favorite Mitchell and Ness throwbacks (affiliate links take you to NBAStore.com):
- The Michael Jordan classic Authentic throwback 97-98 Chicago Bulls jersey (see picture here)
- The Kobe Bryant Authentic rookie throwback 96-97 Los Angeles Lakers jersey (see picture here)
- The Lebron James rookie Authentic throwback 03-04 Cleveland Cavaliers jersey (see picture here)
- The Kevin Durant rookie Authentic throwback 07-08 Seattle SuperSonics jersey (see picture here)
- The Steph Curry rookie road Authentic throwback 09-10 Golden State Warriors jersey (see picture here)
- The Larry Bird throwback Swingman 85-86 Boston Celtics jersey (see picture here)
- The Kobe Bryant Authentic throwback 08-09 Los Angeles Lakers jersey (see picture here)
There are two types of Mitchell & Ness jerseys: Swingman and Authentic. A swingman jersey is a type of NBA fan replica jersey that does not have all the premium finishes of an authentic jersey, but still closely mimics the jerseys the players wear. Nike also has the same two tiers of jerseys.
What is awesome about the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jersey that I own is even though it does not have all the premium finishes that the Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys have, it still has sewn-on graphics, which make it (in my opinion) the best value of any NBA fan jersey on the market today.
By offering both an Authentic and a Swingman jersey, Mitchell & Ness offers two different price ranges for you to choose from so that you can find the jersey price range that best fits your budget.
This is the current price of the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com). As I will explain below, in my opinion, the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys are the best value on the market today.
This is the current price of the Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com). The Authentic jerseys will have all the premium finishes, including sewn-on graphics.
Mitchell & Ness Swingman
As I said above, the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys, in my opinion, have the best value out of any NBA fan jersey because they have sewn-on graphics, but also have the lower price point that the Swingman jerseys offer.
Swingman jerseys are a version of jersey that oes not have all the premium finishes of an Authentic jersey, but because of that, can be offered at a lower price point. The Nike Swingman jerseys do not have stitched graphics, but the cool thing about the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys is they do have sewn-on graphics.
Here is a look at the sewn-on graphics on the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jersey that I own:
As you can see, my Mitchell & Ness Swingman jersey has sewn-on numbers and letters, and has an embroidered NBA logo and a throwback jock tag.
How do Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys fit?
Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys have a slim, but comfortable fit. I did not have to size up, but if you prefer a baggy fit, size up. If you want to read more about Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys, visit my Mitchell & Ness Swingman Jersey Review.
Here is a look at me wearing the Mitchell & Ness Swingman jersey that I own:
(6’3″ 200 pounds size medium)
Also, here is a look at my medium Mitchell & Ness Swingman compared to a medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:
Mitchell & Ness Authentic
Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys also have stitched graphics. Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys are authentic throwback jerseys that have all the premium finishes you would expect in a jersey, including stitched graphics.
Here is a look at the Mitchell & Ness Authentic jersey that I own:
As you can see, my Mitchell & Ness Authentic jersey has sewn-on numbers and letters, and has an embroidered NBA logo and a throwback jock tag.
How do Mitchell & Ness Swingman jerseys fit?
Mitchell & Ness Authentic is the one jersey I actually had to size up. I ordered a size 40 but had to size up to a size 44. The size 40 was listed per the official size chart to be the equivalent to a size medium, but it was too slim. I sized up to a 44. My recommendation is to size up the Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys.
Here is a look at the original size 40 that I ordered compared to a medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:
As you can see, it is slimmer than a medium t-shirt. I had to size up. If you want a baggy fit, you may need to size up two sizes. There is added length built in to these jerseys. To read more, visit my Mitchell & Ness Authentic jersey review.
Where to buy Mitchell & Ness jerseys?
This is where you can browse the entire selection of Mitchell & Ness jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com_. NBAStore.com is the official online shop of the NBA.
I recommend buying from a reputable source like NBAStore.com so that you can be confident you are not being scammed. Remember, Mitchell & Ness makes classic throwback jerseys – for current player/team jerseys, stick with Nike or Fanatics brand.
Nike Swingman
Are Nike Swingman jerseys stitched?
Nike Swingman jerseys do not have sewn-on graphics. They have screen-printed graphics. Despite this, they are still very nice jerseys that do appear, from a distance, to be very similar to the authentics. Here is a look at my Authentic Embiid (left) vs my Swingman Embiid (right):
From a distance, the jerseys appear quite similar. I actually recommend the Nike Swingman jerseys as the best fan jersey when you factor in the price point. In my opinion, it is the best combination of price, style, and comfort.
But no, it does not have stitched graphics. Here is a close-up look at the graphics of the Nike Swingman:
If you want to read more about the Nike Swingman jerseys, and why they are my recommendation for best fan jersey, visit my Nike Swingman jersey review.
This is where you can browse the Nike Swingman jerseys at NBAStore.com to see what different styles are available for your favorite team.
Are Fanatics Fast Break jerseys stitched?
No, Fanatics Fast Break jerseys are not stitched. In general, the Fanatics Fast Break jerseys are a budget-friendly option in case you are operating on a tight budget. They have less premium finishes so that the price point can remain lower in comparison to other jerseys on the market.
This is the current price of the Fanatics Fast Break jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com). If you want to read more about these jerseys, visit my Fast Break jerseys review.
The graphics on the Fast Break jerseys are screen-printed, and are flexible so that the jersey has a lightweight feel against your skin. Here is a look at the graphics:
Best Stitched NBA Jersey
Again, my recommendation for best stitched jerseys is the Nike Authentic jersey. It is engineered with the exact specifications of the jerseys the players wear.
If you are looking for the best of the best, the Nike Authentic jerseys are it. This is where you can browse the entire selection of Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).