The Phoenix Suns today unveiled the 2023-24 Nike NBA City Edition uniform that celebrates the city’s Mexican American culture with an El Valle wordmark and design details inspired by the stylistic elements of classic lowriders.
Lowriders were first crafted by Chicanos in the southwest of the U.S. and bajito y suavecito (low and slow) became a bold statement of cultural pride and identity. As part of the season-long El Valle program, the Suns worked with local legend Efrain “Bugs” Gonzales to create a custom 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air to match the detailed design elements of the uniform. The car will be on display at select games and events throughout the season.
“The El Valle City Edition uniform is a celebration of our Mexican American fanbase,” said Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury Chief Executive Officer Josh Bartelstein. “The uniform captures the tapestry of the culture and weaves together the rich traditions of Phoenix’s Mexican American community.”
The Suns designed the uniform in collaboration with Miguel Angel Godoy, a local artist and fine arts professor at Arizona State University. The El Valle wordmark across the chest was inspired by classic Chicano cursive script and the vibrant colors of Chicano culture influenced the uniform’s accent colors. The side panels of the uniform feature decorative pinstriping designed to embody the hand-painted pinstripes of a lowrider.
The Suns will wear the uniform 13 times throughout the 2023-24 season starting with the home game on Nov. 10 versus the Los Angeles Lakers, the team’s first game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. The halftime of each El Valle home game will feature La Música del Valle concert series, fueled by the Desert Ford Dealers, with MC Magic performing at the first game. A matching City Edition court will also debut this season.
Fans can purchase the 2023-24 City Edition uniform starting today at the Team Shop at Footprint Center or online at shop.suns.com. The Suns also launched the first t-shirt of a five-piece El Valle merchandise collection designed by local Chicano artists. The t-shirt collection, presented by Hornitos Tequila, will be available online and at the Team Shop throughout the season.
In collaboration with local Chicano artist SPAWK, the Suns will also launch an El Valle merchandise collection with Wild Collective available online and in the Team Shop beginning Nov. 10.
Find more information and a full schedule of El Valle game nights here.
