The Cavs and Celtics season opener was dominated by the unfortunate headline about Gordon Hayward and his dislocated ankle and fractured tibia minutes into his debut. What went under the radar throughout the final minutes of the game is when LeBron James' Jersey was ripped by Jaylen Brown. LeBron seemed to pay it no mind but it got the attention of Nike, who is looking for a reason why the jersey was ripped. Nike is the new uniform supplier for the NBA and this isn't the best look for the company in their first game as the apparel supplier

Right down the middle

LeBron James' jersey was ripped while being defended by Celtics forward, Jaylen Brown.

The rip was straight down the back of his jersey separating the 2 and the 3 on his jersey. Nike officials have declined to publicly comment on why the jersey had the rip, but the company is definitely looking into the issue. Nike signed an eight-year deal with the NBA worth approximately $1 billion, so this is a key issue they want to get on top of. Nike has used similar uniforms for the Summer Olympics and some select college basketball programs but never had an issue like this.

Nike has talked about their new jerseys and how much better they are than previous jerseys. The jerseys have been claimed to wick sweat 30 percent faster than Adidas' jerseys. They credit this to a new product called Alpha Yarn and recycled polyester.

If there is a bright side, James' torn jersey is up for auction off along with others with the funds going to hurricane-relief efforts.

History repeats

Nike is looking further into this incident with one of their jerseys, as this isn't the first time one of their jerseys have ripped in their short history. In the NBA's preseason opener, L.A.

Lakers guard Tyler Ennis' jersey was ripped, leaving the zero on his No. 10 jersey left hanging by threads. Two instances of this happening isn't a good look for the sportswear giant, as they should have the technology to prevent these mishaps.

Nike only makes the jersey and isn't responsible for the number and name stitching that the jersey needs.

It is usually the team's responsibility to find a vendor for them to stitch those contents on the jersey. This still doesn't explain why LeBron's jersey tore down the middle, but it could explain Ennis' zero falling off. In 2014, three players had their Nike shoes tear apart, so Nike should be able to find a solution.

Having Nike's jersey rip while being worn by their biggest player is going to draw eyeballs. James has a lifetime deal with Nike and debut his 15th signature shoe over the summer and wore it in his game against the Celtics. Nike is looking to fix the situation soon, so jersey rips aren't a year-long discussion.
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