By Tobias Lang, Reviews Editor
Most sourcing mistakes happen before anything reaches a warehouse: a link gets copied out of a spreadsheet, loses its item ID, and lands on a near-identical listing with different measurements. So for this pair we did the boring work first. We ordered NBA black shorts in everyday casual style (SKU 7720589914) twice, logged every hop of the link from the marketplace entry to the parcel on our bench, and only then started measuring fabric.
The shorts were listed at $9.22 and checked out at $8.06, marked in stock. Two pairs (size L and size XL) arrived at the Rotterdam desk 21 days after checkout, were opened on camera, weighed, and measured with calipers before we wore them.
The link trail: three hops, one SKU
The listing gives no brand-authorised storefront, just a marketplace item ID and a stack of phone-shot images. That is normal for this corner of the catalog, and it is exactly where link literacy earns its keep. Each hop either preserves the identifier or quietly breaks it.
| Hop | What we recorded | Time or cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Marketplace entry | Item ID 7720589914, title matching the catalog entry, black base with a front 3D print, sizes S–6XL | 0 minutes, but the only hop where the ID is guaranteed |
| 2. Agent catalog page | Same ID, struck-through $9.22, paid $8.06, weight field showing 0.00 | 41 minutes for the first agent reply; quote confirmed same day |
| 3. Warehouse to bench | Two poly bags, no branded packaging, no care label in English | 3 days to warehouse, 18 days in transit |
The 0.00 weight reading mattered. It meant we could not pre-plan consolidation weight, and it is why the kitchen scale came out before the camera memory card did. A buyer who trusts that field when splitting a haul is guessing.
What actually arrived: weight, hem and the missing inseam
The size L pair weighed 196 g on our scale, the XL 208 g — light enough that a two-pair order barely changes a parcel's chargeable weight. Calipers on the straight hem gave a flat leg opening of 31.0 cm on L and 32.0 cm on XL, a 1 cm step for a full size.
| Measurement (flat, unworn) | Size L | Size XL |
|---|---|---|
| Waist, relaxed | 38.0 cm | 40.0 cm |
| Waist, firm pull | 46.5 cm | 48.5 cm |
| Inseam | 20.0 cm | 20.5 cm |
| Straight hem opening | 31.0 cm | 32.0 cm |
| Weight | 196 g | 208 g |
The listing states a 1–3 cm production tolerance and gives no waist, hip or inseam figures at all. Our two pairs sat inside that tolerance against each other, but the absence of a published inseam is the real problem: 20 cm is a mid-thigh short on our 178 cm tester and noticeably shorter on anyone taller. Nike's own NBA shorts chart maps S–3XL to waist and hip numbers and notes that tall versions add roughly 5 cm of length — none of that information exists on this listing, and the sizes run to 6XL, well past where that chart stops.
The four-way stretch label, checked by hand and waistband
The spec sheet calls the fabric polyester four-way stretch with light stretch, standard thickness, and a straight leg opening. Pulled across the grain, the waistband on the L extended about 22 percent under firm tension before we stopped pulling; the body fabric gave less and recovered to its flat measurement within a minute of release. That is consistent with "light stretch" rather than the elastic, compression feel of a performance short.
"It feels very constricting. Almost like very tight shape wear." — a buyer describing authentic NBA shorts at the correct numeric size, in a community sizing thread.
We did not see that problem in these pairs. The elastic is a standard knit waistband with a flat drawcord, and both sizes sat without digging during a full day of desk work and a two-kilometre walk. A community note from a 173 cm, 82 kg buyer who took XL, and another from buyers who say the cuts run true to size, bracket what we felt: relaxed at the top, roomy through the leg. Fit confidence here rests on the seller's chart, not on the category's reputation either way.
Nine days of everyday wear, two washes
Casual styling is the whole point of the black palette, so we wore them the way the listing frames them: plain T-shirt and sneakers, then a hoodie when the weather turned. The 3D print sits across the front only; the back is plain. Under our light box the print edge is a clean, slightly raised film, not a dye that sits in the fibres.
- After nine days and two 30 °C washes inside out, no cracking across the print field and no colour transfer onto white socks.
- One corner of the print lifted about 1 mm after the second wash — visible only at arm's length under direct light.
- Seams at the crotch and hem stayed flat, with no loose threads found on either pair.
- The drawcord tips frayed slightly on the XL pair; we trimmed them.
Buyers reviewing black basketball shorts elsewhere praise breathable fabric, neat stitching and the absence of loose threads. That is category context and it matched what we found, but it is not a guarantee about this listing's next production run, and no source confirms longevity of this specific print. Ask the agent for close-ups of the print edge and the waistband seam before paying if either matters to you.
Two alternatives we checked the same day
| Pair | Price paid | What it did better or worse |
|---|---|---|
| This listing, size L | $8.06 | Widest size run (S–6XL), lightest weight, print is the only decoration |
| Plain black poly-cotton shorts, different agent listing | $11.40 | Heavier fabric with more drape and a published inseam; no graphic, sizes stop at 2XL |
| Branded athletic shorts, single-brand catalog entry | $19.90 | Better stitch density and a real care label; roughly 2.5 times the price for the same summer use |
Set against those two, the $8.06 pair wins on size range and price per wear and loses on documentation. It is the cheapest way into a black printed short in a size above 3XL that we have handled this season; it is not the pair to buy if you want the seller to tell you the inseam before you commit.
How to order this link without losing the plot
- Copy the item ID, not the page title. Titles drift between reposts; the numeric ID is what keeps you on the same product.
- Screenshot the option you selected and the price at checkout. Our $8.06 was a live markdown from $9.22 and did not survive in the cart history after the order closed.
- Ask for waist, hip and inseam measurements in the agent's own words, in writing, before the parcel is sealed. The 1–3 cm tolerance is not a substitute for a chart.
- Ignore a 0.00 weight field when planning a consolidation. Weigh the parcel yourself or ask the warehouse to.
Fit remains the open question, and it is the one we cannot close from our bench. The fabric, print and construction behaved like a decent $8 short across nine days. The measurements exist only in our calipers and the seller's tolerance note — so take your own waist and hip numbers to the chart, confirm the inseam in writing, and treat the wide size run as the reason to buy rather than the reason to relax.
What works
- Light four-way stretch polyester that recovers well and stays comfortable at the waistband.
- Widest size run we have handled at this price, S through 6XL.
- 3D print survived two washes with only a 1 mm corner lift.
Watch-outs
- No waist, hip or inseam figures published anywhere on the listing.
- Weight field read 0.00, so haul planning needs your own scale.
- Drawcord tips frayed on the XL pair within nine days.
Who it is for
Buyers who want a black printed athletic short in the $8 range, especially above size 3XL, and who will confirm measurements with the seller before the parcel is sealed.
Who should skip
Buyers who need a tall-length cut, a confirmed inseam, or a waistband with real give; and anyone unwilling to measure themselves against a chart before ordering.