Nike says it’s working on a solution to the NBA’s torn-jersey problems

Nike’s eight-year, $1-billion jersey deal with the NBA doesn’t appear to be off to the best of starts.

Take a look at what happened to Lakers guard Tyler Ennis during a preseason game.

The same thing happened to Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James on opening night.

Yep, those brand-new jerseys seem to have a hard time staying in one piece.

Soon after the league’s biggest star had his jersey torn down the middle, Nike President and CEO Mark Parker told CNBC, “We’ve isolated the issue, and we feel like we’ve got command of the situation and feel good about where we are.”

But the rips kept coming — to Golden State’s Draymond Green, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons and Cleveland’s Kevin Love, all in the last two weeks.

Nike said in a statement to ESPN on Monday night that it is “working to implement a solution.”

“Nike has always put the athlete at the center of everything we do and we have worked hard to create the most advanced uniforms in the history of the NBA,” the company said in the statement. “They are lighter and deliver great mobility and sweat wicking characteristics, and the feedback from players has been overwhelmingly positive. However, during game play we have seen a small number of athletes experience significant jersey tears. We are very concerned to see any game day tear and are working to implement a solution that involves standardizing the embellishment process and enhancing the seam strength of game day jerseys. The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance and we are working with the NBA and teams to avoid this happening in the future.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii