Just got my LeBron form the Cavs team shop. Firstly, on initial impressions, i'm already missing adidas like crazy but here's a review for anyone that cares.
Jersey Material:
The new aeroswift material is nice and thin and it feels great when you put it on. Nike has taken cues from adidas and done similar body mapping points theoughout. It is at these points where they actually use "mesh" as it varies from more open holes to smaller tighter holes cut into the material. This is however the opposite to the Rev30's which was open mesh almost all over and then just flat CLIMACOOL lines that contour in certain areas. Nike uses larger open mesh for a large part of the back of the jersey, then uses the smaller tighter mesh around the chest on the front.
Numbers, Wordmarks & Logos:
The Numbers are obviously a huge change this year and while Nike opted to go back to the use of twill numbers, they have managed to find a very thin and soft version than past iterations of jerseys. Nike have even tried to spin their own version of breathability in the numbers with the use of small perforations which acts as more of an aesthetic feature than performance. The wordmarks are only slightly thicker (at least for this jersey particularly) minus the perforations and once again is stitched onto the chest. Most likely the biggest change this year is the logo's and Nike's implementation of using a heat pressed 'rubbery-like' plastic on the Nike branding on the shoulder and NBA logoman on the back of the neck - something that was trialed by adidas only to quickly go back to the traditional stitched NBA logo.
Fit & Length:
So far I've only seen the authentic range in normal sizing of 40-56 without any noted length and when laying this 48 (Large) over an adidas XL+2 and I actually think its the same in width but it definitely doesn't have the +2 in Length which may only be obtainable when pro-cuts circulate or you buy game-worn/game-issued jerseys. I know others have said that Nike has labeled these jerseys as a full size down but I don't think thats correct and it should reflect the original numerical sizing 44(L), 48(XL) etc.
Jersey Cut & Stitching:
The new jerseys introduce a new cut seen toward the back of the shoulders with what Nike deems is to promote the range of motion for players, which is a cool and new design but sort of steps away from that "traditional" look that we all know. While its not a deal breaker by any means if you're in that crowd then its your call. Stitching was a huge let down in my opinion when it came to adidas' authentic range (with a bunch of other issues on top of that). Nike however have gained huge points in this department by taking the time to use a clean kiss-cut stitching that mirrors exactly what the players receive, which may seem minor to most but goes a long way in the jerseys overall comfort. With that said, one thing that adidas did well was their use of detailed team wordmarks, while they were on the thicker side, they were heat-pressed which allowed for a more comfortable wear to the point where you wouldn't get that itchy chest feel that a stitched wordmark would.
Aeroswift vs. Revolution 30:
I am by no means an adidas "D-rider" or have some personal vendetta against Nike, but over the last few years it seems that when it comes to innovation in the basketball department adidas has done things that looking back are leaps and bounds ahead of jerseys in the past. I have said many times in this thread that the Revolution 30 is (in my opinion) the greatest use of tech in a basketball uniform to date. Receiving Nike's new jersey has only reinforced this opinion as I look at side-by-side and can't help but feel like I've been got for $200+. When I look at the 2 jerseys from a consumer standpoint, I feel like the Nike jerseys are made for a one time wear and thats it. How long until those rubbery heat-pressed logos start to peel and crack and forget about the numbers staying pristine and flat after your first wear. Besides that the materials look cheap, plain and simple, and I almost echo what I think others have said that what Nike is pushing as "Authentic" is really just a glorified swingman at the end of the day.