Phoenix Suns<\/a> and Nike are using their partnership to bring awareness, visibility, and honor to Arizona\u2019s 22 Native American tribes:<\/p>\n\n\n\nAk-Chin Indian Community; Cocopah Indian Tribe; Colorado River Indian Tribes; Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe; Gila River Indian Community; Havasupai Tribe;\u00a0 Hopi Tribe; Hualapai Tribe; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians; Navajo Nation; Pascua Yaqui Tribe; Pueblo of Zuni; Quechan Indian Tribe; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community; San Carlos Apache Tribe; San Juan Southern Paiute; Tohono O’odham Nation; Tonto Apache Tribe; White Mountain Apache Tribe; Yavapai-Apache Nation; Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe story is bigger than the uniform,\u201d said Graham Wincott, Senior Director of Marketing for the phoenix suns. \u201cThe City Edition program is supposed to be the nexus of court, community, and culture. We were trying to find things in Phoenix, things in Arizona, that brought together basketball culture, community impact, and have a strong cultural story,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nAt the beginning of the pandemic, the Suns looked into a long-standing, 20-year-old basketball tradition in The Valley for inspiration \u2014 the Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve hosted this tournament at our arena. It\u2019s the premier indigenous basketball tournament in the united states, Wincott said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t done a lot of storytelling around it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the birth of the idea, Wincott & co. began researching Rezball, Native American basketball culture in the Grand Canyon state, and connecting with each tribal leader & community for an authentic & equal celebration of Arizona\u2019s indigeneity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cPeople don\u2019t understand how much diversity there is in the tribal communities of Arizona,\u201d Wincott said. \u201cFor us, it was a constant learning process of trying to find shared characteristics and things to celebrate the cultures in a broad way without skewing too heavily toward one or the other was the biggest challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The unifying thread for all 22 tribes became the foundation of the uniform and, above all, the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turquoise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cIt was one of the few things that was a thread that ran through all of the southwestern tribes,\u201d Wincott said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turquoise symbolizes life, courage, truth, and protection within Native American culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn one statement, it\u2019s proving life in the form of water. On the protection side,\u00a0it\u2019s armor for our guys. It provides strength in the uniforms. It helps bring that story together,” he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOn the uniform\u2019s original design turquoise was meant to be an accent color. But the team knew it being an accent wouldn\u2019t have the uniform and its story impact the way it could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf the uniform is only mildly giving a nod to the tribal nations, would that story be as effective? I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Wincott added. \u201cUs having it out there and it being bold \u2014 these cultures tend to have bold representation in what they wear \u2014 we wanted to be authentic and reflect the culture where we\u2019re representing and making sure that it resonates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAnother main component of the uniform is implementing the word \u201csun\u201d in every tribe\u2019s native tongue written on the trim of the jerseys and shorts, furthering the celebration of the tribes, their culture, and their significance in The Valley. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe story is bigger than the uniform<\/p>Graham Wincott, Phoenix Suns’ Senior Marketing Director<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe most important element on there is the words. It\u2019s subtle but it is the most direct representation of the resiliency of these nations,\u201d Wincott points out. \u201cPredominantly, none of these languages were written languages. Even getting permission to have them featured in a written form is an accomplishment in itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cIn some of the smaller tribes, there might be a small handful of people who speak the language. A thread that connects them to the past that carries them on to generations and the fact that it\u2019s still here and still is a living language and is on this jersey as a platform to tell people what it is,\u201d he adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Shawn Martinez, Senior Director of Live Presentation for the Phoenix Suns and a member of the Navajo tribe, the uniform means so much more.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMartinez, who grew up playing Rezball with aspirations of making it to the league, recalled Suns\u2019 greats. And while he never played for the Suns, he \u2014 and others \u2014 played a fundamental role in honoring Arizona\u2019s Native American community through basketball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWe\u2019re trying to educate people, we\u2019re trying to amplify the voice of every tribe<\/p>\nShawn Martinez, Phoenix Suns’ Senior Director of Live Presentation<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nFrom taping a box to the wall and shooting bundled-up socks to watching Alvin Adams, Paul Westphal, and other greats, Martinez fulfilled his dream of making it to the NBA through a new avenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI had dreams of making it in the NBA. I just made it in a different way,\u201d Martinez said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the 22 translations of the word \u201csun\u201d on the uniforms, the words would appear on the City Edition-dedicated court, which includes the reimagined Suns logo, emulating the medicine wheel amongst other details.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cWe did a lot of hard work to get those words and have it represented,\u201d Martinez recalls. \u201cWhen they see [the uniform], they see the court, they see their word; it hits the heart; it hits home. No one\u2019s ever done it like we\u2019ve rolled it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe excitement isn\u2019t just within the storytellers, designers, and marketing directors of the team. The anticipation even stretches to the Phoenix Suns players. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis started off as a presentation to the Suns team in the locker room where they got a custom box with their uniform in it,\u201d Wincott said. \u201cIt had a card explaining all of the uniform elements \u2014 why we\u2019re doing it and what everything stands for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn addition to the box and card, the players were also gifted a custom medallion, by Bethany Smith, a renowned Navajo beader. The importance of the City Edition uniform isn\u2019t just about educating the masses but the organization as well from employees to the players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe players were fully educated on what the uniform means, why it\u2019s bigger than basketball, why it\u2019s going to have such an impact. They reacted positively, they had questions and thoughtful things to be said. It was an amazing moment for the team and the franchise,\u201d Wincott added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cHearing Chris Paul say, \u2018no one\u2019s ever explained this to us like this,’ \u2014 it means so much more. We know what this jersey is about and what it means to the tribal communities across Arizona,” Martinez said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Phoenix Suns will wear the City Edition jersey on 10 separate occasions, the first of which against the Golden State Warriors on November 16 during a nationally televised game with all 22 tribes leaders in attendance with a special halftime ceremony.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to feed [the national broadcasters] talking points like we will for the other games \u2014 why are the Suns wearing turquoise? What does it mean? What\u2019s the purpose? Whether it\u2019s Mike Breen or Jeff van Gundy or whoever it might be, they\u2019re going to talk about it in what will be one of the highest-rated NBA games of the year,\u201d Wincott stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWith National Native American Heritage Month taking place in November, the Suns will wear the uniforms in back-to-back-to-back games going from the defending NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, to the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers \u2013 ensuring that the story isn\u2019t lost after its first wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to educate people, we\u2019re trying to amplify the voice of every tribe,\u201d Martinez adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the uniform and the court, the Phoenix Suns will add a new element to its pre-game routine, tying back to the uniform and its vital story.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor us, it\u2019s about bringing in new traditions and things we can incorporate into the brand as a whole that will carry this on,\u201d Wincott states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to implement a pow wow drum and [explain] why we play this drum, why it\u2019s the heartbeat of mother earth calling her children in to sing, to dance; we\u2019re going to use that in the right way before the team comes out,\u201d Martinez adds. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to educate people, we\u2019re trying to amplify the voice of every tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce they hear the drum, they\u2019ll know it\u2019s Suns basketball time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nStay tuned to Snkrs Day for more industry news, sneaker release dates, and exclsuive interviews.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nike became the official jersey sponsor of the NBA during the 2017-2018 season. The deal would usher a new wave…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":328301,"featured_media":1170151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1224791],"tags":[923],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
The Phoenix Suns' City Edition Uniform Honors 22 Native American Tribes | Snkrs Day<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n