Photo by NBA PH
MANILA, Philippines – The Filipino basketball community joins the NBA in celebrating the league’s fifth annual Jersey Day on Monday ahead of the start of the new season.
Inquirer Sports staff told stories about their favorite NBA jersey to Filipino fans and basketball enthusiasts around the world ahead of the start of the 2024-25 NBA season on Wednesday (Manila time), led by the Boston Celtics’ banner ceremony against the revamped New York Knicks, followed by a showdown match between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Michael Jordan, the late Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, three stars of different generations, were the favorite jerseys of the Inquirer’s sportswriters – as were most Filipinos who marveled at the legacy of the three faces of the NBA.
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Mark Giongco, INQUIRER.net’s assistant sports editor, shared that Jordan’s Chicago Bulls home jersey No. 45 was his first and most memorable NBA jersey as it contributed to his love for basketball
“I got my first NBA jersey when I was six and it was MJ’s number 45. My brother gave it to me and it is also my favorite jersey because it brings back a lot of good memories for me,” Giongco said.
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In addition to Jordan’s legendary number 23, the six-time NBA champion also wore the number 45 jersey when he celebrated his legendary comeback to the NBA in the spring of 1995 after his brief retirement.
INQUIRER.net reporter Rommel Fuertes Jr., who has been a Los Angeles Lakers fan since he started following the NBA, said Bryant’s classic yellow jersey is his holy grail after wearing it a year after the tragic death the legend had bought to honor the legacy of his hero.
“My favorite and only NBA jersey is Kobe Bryant’s classic yellow jersey because he got me excited about basketball. I got it about a year after he died to remember him,” Fuertes said.
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Bryant had a storied NBA career with the Lakers, highlighted by five NBA titles, a season MVP and one of the league’s top scorers.
This writer’s first NBA jersey was James’ navy Cleveland Cavaliers backup uniform, which he wore during the star forward’s first few years in the league, when he led his team to the NBA Finals in 2007.
“As a kid, I knew how strong the Detroit Pistons were. “After watching LeBron beat a powerhouse, I became a fan and made me ask my parents to buy his jersey because I knew he would be great,” he said.
James may have been dominated by the San Antonio Spurs in his first NBA Finals, but that didn’t stop him from proving himself as the “chosen one,” winning four MVPs and two championships with the Miami Heat before returning to Cleveland, to end his age 52 season. Year of title drought after a historic comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
“The King” brought the Lakers a championship in 2020 and was the only player in the NBA to score 40,000 points. At 39 years old, he is still dominating the league.
Filipinos continued to participate in NBA Jersey Day that began in the 2020-21 season, generating awareness and anticipation for the start of the 2024-25 season.
“The Philippines is a critically important market for the NBA that continues to be home to some of our most passionate fans in the world. As we announce the new NBA season, we look forward to working with our partners to provide more opportunities for boys and girls to play basketball and provide Filipinos with new and meaningful ways to experience the excitement of our game,” said Donna Reyes, NBA Director of Media Sales in the Philippines.
NBA Philippines hosted a series of kick-off games for sports journalists, influencers and women’s basketball players from UAAP and Gilas Pilipinas at GameVille in Mandaluyong to celebrate Jersey Day.
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The NBA Store also offered up to 70% off select jerseys at SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall through Monday, including a 360° photo booth experience. The company also held a social media contest asking fans to post a picture wearing their NBA or WNBA jersey.