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How To Tell If A NBA Jersey Is Authentic?

You can easily tell a NBA jersey is authentic if you check for the Nike Connect on the bottom right of the jersey.

If you flip the jersey inside-out, you should be able to see a small circular microchip in the seam of the jersey – this is Nike Connect.

You can try scanning the Nike Connect with your phone. If you’re prompted to download the app or if you already have the app, exclusive NBA content should pop up on your phone.

This is the simplest way, because counterfeiters trying to make a profit will often skip adding this high-level technology in their fakes.

There are also some other ways to tell if an NBA jersey is authentic, but they require a little more perception on your part.

How To Spot An Authentic NBA Jersey

Tip #1 Nike Connect

To tell if an NBA jersey is authentic, first check out the Nike Connect tag on the jersey.

The tag should lay flat against the jersey and should use all of the proper fonts and symbols with the proper version of the NBA logo.

On fakes, this tag will be warped and the NBA logo will just look off (jaded legs on Jerry West, oversized head, etc.)

You definitely should also turn the jersey inside-out and test the Nike Connect technology.

This will be implanted into the jersey to offer you exclusive NBA content on the player whose jersey you’re buying.

On a fake, this most likely will not work. Check to see if there’s a little circular microchip – if there isn’t that means you’re looking at a fake NBA jersey.

Read this article to find out when does Nike take over NBA Jerseys.

Tip #2 Retail Tags

This is another good giveaway as to whether you’re looking at an authentic NBA jersey, because all retails tags are placed in the same spots on all authentics.

There should be two tags on the jersey: one hologram sticker on the left with the NBA logo, and one retail tag on the right, which should have the product code and the price.

On fake jerseys, these tags will be placed randomly on the jersey.

Make sure that the tags are on the sleeves of the jersey too. And check to see if the NBA hologram sticker is in fact a hologram, changing to different colours as you bend it around the light.

On a fake NBA jersey, this will be one monochromatic color.

Read this article titled ‘Where To Buy Authentic NBA Jerseys.’

Tip #3 Nike Swoosh

This tip is a little harder to spot because you probably will need an authentic image from the NBA Store to compare against the jersey you’re looking at.

However, always check that the Nike Swoosh logo is actually the Nike Swoosh logo.

On counterfeits, these will be a little too thin and jagged compared to the original.

Moreover, an authentic NBA jersey will have the Nike Swoosh placed close to the centre of the chest, while fakes are usually higher up near the shoulders.

Also check out our article titled ‘How To Spot Fake NBA Jerseys,’ and to be safe it is better to NBA licensed stores like the ones we featured in the article.

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