Each sport has its staple pieces of apparel. The hoodies, the sweats, the practice jerseys — and all the sport-specific evolutions of that apparel (the windbreaker in track and field, the bomber jacket in baseball, the swim parka for the pool). Over time, these foundational pieces become integral to the look and feel of the game itself.
The Swoosh Fly collection, a women’s-specific apparel capsule created by Nike Basketball, channels the emotional connection that players have with “standard issue” gear and designs them for the female body.
“There’s an entire culture of needing those pieces,” says Mistie Boyd, Nike Basketball apparel manager and former center for the Phoenix Mercury. “This is why we have standard issue — to meet those needs, because that’s what players are actually wearing.”
The Swoosh Fly collection, a women’s-specific apparel capsule created by Nike Basketball, channels the emotional connection that players have with “standard issue” gear and designs them for the female body.
Whether a player enjoys basketball recreationally or has her eyes set on a competitive path, certain apparel pieces are intrinsic to the culture of the sport. Think of hoodies, sweatpants, comfy slides, penny jerseys; they’re all ideal for kicking back in-between games. They also act as pieces of an identity, signaling who you are and where you’re from. Swoosh Fly builds off this foundational idea by offering a range of eight pieces that encompass all hours of a player’s life, and with soft fabrics for casual pieces that can be worn all day.
At the apparel’s core, though, is an intentionality for proper fit.
Nike Basketball designers heard time and time again from female players that typical men’s basketball shorts don’t fit their bodies. For example, the shorts were often too narrow for the thighs. To answer for this, designers widened the circumference of the leg, created a high rise and tightened the waist.
Other pieces for the upper body use more slender dimensions for a truer fit. The Swoosh Fly mesh penny jersey, for example, features a narrower, less boxy shoulder width so that the jersey straps don’t slide around during play, a common bother.
What WNBA Athletes Say About the Collection
“The cool part about Swoosh Fly is that it’s the sum of years of simple understanding. The hoodie was easy to put on. For me, it’s important to have a hoodie that works with my hair.” – Sue Bird, point guard
“Swoosh Fly is a moment to finally say we have something that’s our own. We don’t need to share it with the guys.” – A’ja Wilson, forward
“You need to have that one piece of apparel that fits you just right. Swoosh Fly is that, but in an entire collection. And it’s so authentic that players like Mistie are helping move this gear forward.” – Diana Taurasi, guard
Driven by player feedback, the Swoosh Fly collection is the result of committed listening to all hoopers, so they can feel confident in their space, on and off the court.
The Nike Basketball Swoosh Fly collection releases globally beginning July 10 on nike.com and at select retailers.