Phoenix Suns next uniform?

[dmastro32]

I have been wanting a purple over black uniform for so long and feel this leaves a little to be desired but is a decent starting point.

[RaisingArizona]

Anyone think some of the lines should be orange?

[Jesus_H_Macy]

The uniform is cool, but it's weird that we are going with an Aztec vibe when the Aztec have no connection to Phoenix or Arizona whatsoever. Why not go with actual Arizona Natives like the Navajo, Hopi, etc.?

I thought it was odd too, but reading the article it sounds like we're going for Mexican fans, which makes sense for a business perspective since we always have those Mexico City games. An actual Arizona Native theme would be better though. And just a better design in general...I think the black/purple color scheme has potential but they just look like plain uniforms with a difficult to see and stereotypical Aztec/Mayan/Olmec gray design. Lame. They can do much better than this. How about Anasazi and put some alien stuff on it?

Wonder if the "sun" and "stone" text in the pic means there are two others they're going to ask the fans opinion on?

The design was inspired by Aztec Sun Stones (calendars). So while Barkley is correct on the Aztec not being inhabitants of Phoenix/AZ, the whole "Suns" vibe is conveyed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_sun_stone

They probably could've opted for a more AZ-related tribe. The Hopi seem to have a Sun-spirit/creator called Tawa

Thanks for the context, guess I should temper my excitement on more new uni designs to look at. That Hopi design would be way more Arizona-y and Sun-y. And just cooler looking.

[cberry78]

Apparently, there's more to come...
https://arizonasports.com/story/2789572/suns-plan-arizona-tribal-nation-uniforms-give-insights-on-aztec-jerseys/

Phoenix Suns
@Suns
·
8h
Regarding proximity to Arizona:
Some sources trace the origins of Aztlan, the ancestral home of the Aztec people, to modern day Arizona before migrating south. While research is ongoing, we wanted to create an open dialogue with our fans surround this uniform concept.
Phoenix Suns
@Suns
·
8h
While this uniform is still conceptual, it was important for us to hear from you, the community.

For comments regarding other indigenous Arizona communities, we’re excited to introduce a uniform honoring the Tribal Nations of Arizona for the 2022-23 season. More to come.

Read on Twitter

[MrMiyagi]

I mean, I like the design of these uniforms, and I'm excited that they've got more planned.

Whoever the designers are lately have been on a roll.

[Barkley6]

Apparently, there's more to come...
https://arizonasports.com/story/2789572/suns-plan-arizona-tribal-nation-uniforms-give-insights-on-aztec-jerseys/

Phoenix Suns
@Suns
·
8h
Regarding proximity to Arizona:
Some sources trace the origins of Aztlan, the ancestral home of the Aztec people, to modern day Arizona before migrating south. While research is ongoing, we wanted to create an open dialogue with our fans surround this uniform concept.
Phoenix Suns
@Suns
·
8h
While this uniform is still conceptual, it was important for us to hear from you, the community.

For comments regarding other indigenous Arizona communities, we’re excited to introduce a uniform honoring the Tribal Nations of Arizona for the 2022-23 season. More to come.

Read on Twitter

Aztlan is a myth though. It's sorta like the equivalent of the Garden of Eden, there is no concrete evidence that points to it being an actual place on the map.

However, after doing a little digging, it was apparently used by the Chicano movement to refer to the territories that the US annexed from Mexico, which makes the Arizona connection A LOT stronger, but because of the political affiliations of those movements, I don't think the Suns organization wants to latch onto that too hard.

HOWEVER, I am very excited to hear that they are coming up with a concept that incorporates Native peoples of Arizona soon.

[NapoleonII]

Couple things:


-Yes Aztlán is connected to the Chicano/a movement in the 60's and 70's, but it's also been a part of a broader Mexican culture situated in the Southwest for decades up to today....IE it's not all about political movements or identity politics. A close equivalent might be how 'Camelot' stirs the imagination for both Brits and their descendants.

-We do know the Aztecs migrated somewhere from El Nortre doing a lot of conquering and raiding before settling on the swampy capital of a former civilization (the Toltecs). 'Aztlán' tries to captures this historical reality and wed it with myth and poetry. I believe that not even the Aztecs (to our knowledge) knew for sure where they came from - it was a brilliant, advanced civilization, but they were pretty busy running an Empire, sacrificing people, and giving 200,000 of its citizens housing and education.

-The name Aztlán is actually quite insulting to a lot of Native Americans, many who have fought against this idea that Native Americans are extinct and mythic. People and organizations invoking Aztlán often play into frameworks of extreme nationalism, whereas many tribes were decimated by Spanish and then Mexican nation-states. I also know quite a few Navajo who dislike how Latino/Mestizo people use Aztlán to stake a claim to indignity. It's a complex thing?

But ANYWAYS I see this as not some random aesthetic branding, but connecting the Suns to not only this Mexican-American/Chicano/a and Latino USian culture, but as a GATEWAY to Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Think of all the games they've been having in Mexico City?

And possibly, it's a long game move to market Devin Booker (who is half Latino) hemispherically as the next Kobe.

[Barkley6]

Couple things:


-Yes Aztlán is connected to the Chicano/a movement in the 60's and 70's, but it's also been a part of a broader Mexican culture situated in the Southwest for decades up to today....IE it's not all about political movements or identity politics. A close equivalent might be how 'Camelot' stirs the imagination for both Brits and their descendants.

-We do know the Aztecs migrated somewhere from El Nortre doing a lot of conquering and raiding before settling on the swampy capital of a former civilization (the Toltecs). 'Aztlán' tries to captures this historical reality and wed it with myth and poetry. I believe that not even the Aztecs (to our knowledge) knew for sure where they came from - it was a brilliant, advanced civilization, but they were pretty busy running an Empire, sacrificing people, and giving 200,000 of its citizens housing and education.

-The name Aztlán is actually quite insulting to a lot of Native Americans, many who have fought against this idea that Native Americans are extinct and mythic. People and organizations invoking Aztlán often play into frameworks of extreme nationalism, whereas many tribes were decimated by Spanish and then Mexican nation-states. I also know quite a few Navajo who dislike how Latino/Mestizo people use Aztlán to stake a claim to indignity. It's a complex thing?

But ANYWAYS I see this as not some random aesthetic branding, but connecting the Suns to not only this Mexican-American/Chicano/a and Latino USian culture, but as a GATEWAY to Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Think of all the games they've been having in Mexico City?

And possibly, it's a long game move to market Devin Booker (who is half Latino) hemispherically as the next Kobe.

I'd love the Suns to be the premier NBA team of Mexico and the rest of Central America. I hope that is the long term vision. But I also hope they know that playing winning basketball will be the biggest help to achieving that!

[Biff]

The uniform is cool, but it's weird that we are going with an Aztec vibe when the Aztec have no connection to Phoenix or Arizona whatsoever. Why not go with actual Arizona Natives like the Navajo, Hopi, etc.?

Not perfectly connected but there's some similarity between the Puebloan people and the Aztecs. Both had ball courts and similar customs. Likely the Puebloan people were heavily influenced by the Aztecs and there was a lot of trading between the 2 groups.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/661936

[Barkley6]

The uniform is cool, but it's weird that we are going with an Aztec vibe when the Aztec have no connection to Phoenix or Arizona whatsoever. Why not go with actual Arizona Natives like the Navajo, Hopi, etc.?

Not perfectly connected but there's some similarity between the Puebloan people and the Aztecs. Both had ball courts and similar customs. Likely the Puebloan people were heavily influenced by the Aztecs and there was a lot of trading between the 2 groups.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/661936

That's all fine and good, but then why not just make a jersey themed around the Pueblo people? Who have CURRENT ties to Arizona, not just some alleged or mythical past?

[Biff]

The uniform is cool, but it's weird that we are going with an Aztec vibe when the Aztec have no connection to Phoenix or Arizona whatsoever. Why not go with actual Arizona Natives like the Navajo, Hopi, etc.?

Not perfectly connected but there's some similarity between the Puebloan people and the Aztecs. Both had ball courts and similar customs. Likely the Puebloan people were heavily influenced by the Aztecs and there was a lot of trading between the 2 groups.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/661936

That's all fine and good, but then why not just make a jersey themed around the Pueblo people? Who have CURRENT ties to Arizona, not just some alleged or mythical past?

I'm guessing this isn't just based on geography but the population here in general. Arizona has a lot of people from Mexico, many of whom are descendants of the Aztecs. It's a reach but I don't think it's worth making a stink about.

[Barkley6]

Not perfectly connected but there's some similarity between the Puebloan people and the Aztecs. Both had ball courts and similar customs. Likely the Puebloan people were heavily influenced by the Aztecs and there was a lot of trading between the 2 groups.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/661936

That's all fine and good, but then why not just make a jersey themed around the Pueblo people? Who have CURRENT ties to Arizona, not just some alleged or mythical past?

I'm guessing this isn't just based on geography but the population here in general. Arizona has a lot of people from Mexico, many of whom are descendants of the Aztecs. It's a reach but I don't think it's worth making a stink about.

Yeah, even that's a reach though. Most people in Mexico, even if they have indigenous heritage, are not descended from the Aztecs. There are dozens of native peoples indigenous to Mexico.

I get what they are trying to do, I just think its all style and no substance.

[wheezy]

That's all fine and good, but then why not just make a jersey themed around the Pueblo people? Who have CURRENT ties to Arizona, not just some alleged or mythical past?

I'm guessing this isn't just based on geography but the population here in general. Arizona has a lot of people from Mexico, many of whom are descendants of the Aztecs. It's a reach but I don't think it's worth making a stink about.

Yeah, even that's a reach though. Most people in Mexico, even if they have indigenous heritage, are not descended from the Aztecs. There are dozens of native peoples indigenous to Mexico.

I get what they are trying to do, I just think its all style and no substance.

The style part is debatable too....

[Desertfox]

As a Mexican from Arizona I love them. Thought they probably should have used the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan instead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_the_Sun

[grumpysaddle]

I just think the design is 'meh'. All for honoring other cultures, just poorly executed here, IMO.