The Nets’ City Edition uniform pulled inspiration from Basquiat, a revolutionary artist and painter whose upbringing and diverse cultural background set the stage for much of his artwork. The black uniform mixes authentic details and some of the most notable elements of Basquiat’s artwork, including the BKLYN Nets lettering across the chest of the jersey, which is inspired by Basquiat’s signature style, the crown on the shorts is evocative of the world-renowned crown found in much of his artwork, and further references the Nets’ home in Kings County, the multicolored stripe down the side of the uniform reflects a style that is prevalent in much of Basquiat’s work and lastly, placed above the jersey’s jock tag is Basquiat’s iconic signature - his full name, written in capital letters.

The platform continued throughout the season with City Edition games at Barclays Center, during which the Nets wear these uniforms and the court is revamped to align with the multi-colored stripe, the “BKLYN NETS” lettering and Basquiat’s signature crown. The team sent personalized City Edition jerseys to celebrities and influencers ahead of the first time the team wore the jerseys in Brooklyn.

The Nets also partnered with NYC Dept. of Education and Office of Arts & Special Projects to enable teachers across Brooklyn to create a unit of study that explores the life and work of Basquiat, with the goal of educating students on how the main themes of his work (i.e. wealth gap and integration v. segregation) still resonate today. The program will culminate with an art exhibit featuring work from the students at Barclays Center in the summer of 2021.