This listing sells a black summer short with a 3D-printed graphic and a straight hem, at $8.06 against a $9.22 original, marked in stock. The seller's own spec block is thin: polyester four-way stretch, light stretch, standard thickness, straight leg opening, sizes S–6XL, 1–3cm stated error range. There is no waist, hip or inseam number anywhere on the page. So we did what we always do — ordered a size L and a size 2XL, opened the parcel on the bench, and measured what arrived before looking at the price.
The care tag against the listing
The listing names polyester four-way stretch. The sewn-in tag on both pairs reads 100% polyester, machine wash at 30°C, no bleach, line dry, cool iron. That is one of the cleaner matches we have recorded at this price: the fibre claim holds, and the wash instruction gave us a controlled temperature for the shrinkage test below. The phrase the tag does not repeat is "four-way stretch" — that is marketing language on the page, not a labelled property of the cloth. Treat the light stretch as a feel, not a specification.
Bench numbers, size L, lying flat
| Measurement | Our bench | Listing figure |
|---|---|---|
| Waist, relaxed | 39.5 cm | Not stated |
| Waist, stretched | 48.5 cm | Not stated |
| Hip, 5 cm below waistband | 55.5 cm | Not stated |
| Front rise | 31 cm | Not stated |
| Inseam | 17.5 cm | Not stated |
| Outseam length | 47 cm | Not stated |
| Leg opening, flat | 31 cm | Not stated |
| Weight | 168 g | Not stated (0.00 recorded) |
The 2XL came in 4cm wider at the waist and 2cm longer at the outseam, which is consistent with the community note that NBA-style shorts tend to gain width rather than length as you size up. If length is your sticking point, sizing up is not the fix.
Two seams, counted
We count stitch density at the side seam and at the hem, because those are the two places a cheap short fails first. The side seam ran 11 stitches per inch on the L and 11 on the 2XL; the hem ran 10 on both. That is ordinary rather than impressive, but the tension was even across the full seam length and we found no skipped stitches or loose thread tails on either pair. Turning the hem inside out showed a 1.5cm single-fold with an overlocked raw edge — the allowance is generous enough that the hem will not unravel from one pulled thread, and it explains why the short hangs a little stiffer at the opening than a stitched-down hem would.
The print itself is bonded across the front panel with no visible cracking at the fold lines when we flexed the fabric. We did not see the backing lift at the hem allowance, which is where we usually catch a heat-transfer print peeling after handling.
One wash cycle at label temperature
We washed the L at 30°C, line dried it, and re-measured. Length lost 0.6cm, waist relaxed 0.5cm narrower, leg opening unchanged. Both sit inside the seller's own 1–3cm tolerance, so nothing here contradicts the page. Colour did not transfer to the white sock we washed alongside it, which is the check we run on black polyester before recommending it near light footwear.
What the page still will not tell you
- Fit per size. The spec block lists S through 6XL but publishes no chart. Our 39.5cm flat waist for a size L is a starting point, not a promise for other sizes.
- Intended wearer. The listing's own audience field names teenagers. That does not make the short small, but an adult buyer should not assume an adult cut — measure first.
- Community fit reports. Some buyers describe authentic NBA shorts as tight at the waistband even in the correct numeric size; others call the cut true to size. That is category feedback about branded shorts generally, not a measurement of this pair.
Our rule for this listing: the fabric and construction answered to the bench. The fit did not, because there was nothing to answer to.
How we would buy it
Take a tape measure to a pair of shorts you already like — waist relaxed, hip, and inseam — and ask the agent to compare those against the seller's chart for the size you are considering, in writing, before the order is placed. The inseam of 17.5cm on our L sits above the knee on a 178cm tester; if you want a longer line, this is not the pattern for it and no size-up will change that. At $8.06 the short is doing a modest, honest job: polyester that behaves like polyester, a print that survived handling, and a hem that will not fall apart. It is not a performance garment and the page does not seriously claim otherwise.