Nuggets 5280 meaning, explained: How Denver's jerseys honor Mile High City's altitude

Daniel Chavkin

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Nuggets 5280 meaning, explained: How Denver's jerseys honor Mile High City's altitude image

The Nuggets, like many teams in the NBA, have a variety of jerseys that they alternate wearing over the course of the season.

While most of those uniforms are familiar, including the standard white jerseys, blue jerseys, and "Mile High City" alternates, there is one set that is new to Denver's collection. That would be the Nuggets' iteration of the NBA's City Edition uniforms, also known as the "5280" jerseys.

These Denver alternates don't feature words on the front of the jerseys, instead displaying the number 5,280 across the front. This unique jersey has a particular connection to the Nuggets and the city of Denver, even if it may not seem like it at first.

Here's a breakdown of the meaning behind the Nuggets' newest alternate jerseys.

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Nuggets 5280 jersey meaning

The Nuggets' "5280" jerseys are part of the NBA's City Edition uniforms, as each team has one set of jerseys that were designed to connect the teams to their cities. 

For Denver, the key part of their City Edition jerseys is, obviously, that the number 5280 is written across the front of the white jerseys. That number is notable in Denver, as the city is 5,280 feet above sea level, which is the highest city among those that have teams in the NBA.

It is no surprise that a team from Denver leans into the Mile High theme, as the Rockies, Broncos and Avalanche have all done the same in their existences. These Nuggets' jerseys are just the latest instance of a team from Colorado paying homage to its altitude.

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Two seasons ago, the NBA revealed 5280 jerseys as Denver's part in the league's City Editions, but those jerseys were primarily black. This year, the Nuggets' City Edition changes to white, but keeps 5280 prominently displayed on the front in rainbow colors that outline the Rocky Mountains.

These particular jerseys are only in play for the 2024-25 season, as the NBA has been adding new City Editions each season.

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Nuggets record by jersey 2024-25

In total, Denver has worn four different jerseys this season: the team's typical home and road uniforms, its "Mile High City" alternates, and its "5820" City Editions.

Unsurprisingly, the Nuggets have worn their whites the most this year, and they've worn the "5280" whites the least, donning those uniforms in just seven games and all at home.

Here's how the Nuggets performed in the regular season this year based on their jersey:

  • White jerseys: 18-12
  • Blue jerseys: 13-12
  • "Mile High City" alternates: 14-6
  • "5280" City Editions: 5-2 

Daniel Chavkin

Daniel Chavkin is a Digital Content Producer for The Sporting News. A 2018 graduate from the University of Maryland, he has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and NFLTradeRumors.com.