The Nuggets have had many eras, and the team’s rotating cast of jersey designs mark each moment as a sign of their time. (I mean, nothing is more ‘80s than the iconic, blocky “high tech” city skyline embedded in a thick white mountain range against a rainbow backdrop!) Denver’s history as a mining town has also often been reflected in our team’s fits — look no further than the pickaxes, bold gold lettering, and appearances by Maxie the Miner himself.
But this year’s “City Edition” jerseys were unveiled this month, and they lean into another aspect of Denver pride — our Mile High-ness, literally being 5,280 feet above sea level. Since 2016, the NBA has been releasing an alternate uniform for each team, intended to reflect something deeper about the culture of each city. And we aren’t hiding the fact that being this high is something to brag about, because it puts our world class athletes at an altitude advantage. Or as one Nuggs spokesperson plainly told 9News, "5280 is a competitive advantage for us, and this City Edition uniform is an opportunity to reinforce that competitive advantage ... It's our rallying cry."