CLEVELAND — On Thursday, the Cleveland Cavaliers unveiled their City Edition alternate uniforms for the 2022-23 season.
And they happen to pay tribute to one of Northeast Ohio's most treasured resources.
This season's uniforms, which are white with tan lettering and numbers and accents of light blue, honor the Cleveland Metroparks. The jerseys read "The Land" across the chest, with a light blue circle featuring the Cavs' 'C' logo placed between the 'L' and 'A,' similar to how the 'V' in the traditional script Cavs logo is used as a basketball hoop.
"This year's jersey pays tribute to one of Ohio's most beloved community assets, the Cleveland Metroparks. Cleveland's vast network of green space, known locally as the Emerald Necklace, boasts over 23,000 acres of diverse, flourishing public parks," a listing for a retail version of the jersey reads on the Cavs' online team shop. "Rich shades of earthy tan and cool, splashy blue are woven into a unique color palette that reflects the North Shore's natural beauty. 'The Land' is featured in bold, in-line lettering highlighting the tie between the endurance of nature and Cleveland's own unyielding attitude."
First launched when Nike took over the rights to the NBA's uniform production in the 2017-18 season, the City Edition program aims to "represent the stories, history and heritage that make each NBA franchise unique — honoring the bonds between court, community and culture" via new alternate uniforms each season. Previously the Cavs have paid tribute to the Guardians of Transportation, Cleveland tourism, their own franchise's history and the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame with their City Edition uniforms.
The Cavs will debut this season's City Edition uniforms on-court on Sunday, Nov. 13 when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.