Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Suns' 'Aztec' uniform concept proves controversial?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Aug 26, 2021 4:29 PM ET

NBA teams release alternate jersey colors and styles each season to mixed results among fans who either enjoy adding new tops to their collections or want their favorite franchises to stick to classic designs.

Last November, the Phoenix Suns unveiled their "The Valley" jerseys for the 2020-21 campaign:

We support The Valley.

We play for The Valley.

Now, we are reppin’ .

City Edition 2020-21: https://t.co/t1l2nEvmiF #WeAreTheValley pic.twitter.com/2BeZ720Dag
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 12, 2020

While those jerseys are relatively harmless even among non-fans, Andrew Lopez of ESPN noted Thursday the Suns sparked a bit of controversy with their "Aztec" uniform concept:

:

A tribute to early ancestors of The Valley, our Mexican and Mexican-American fans, and the warrior spirit we bring to battle everyday.

Drop your thoughts below
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) August 25, 2021

According to Lopez, some questioned if the Aztecs were ever located near where the Suns call home. Following such backlash, the club responded via multiple tweets:

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) August 26, 2021

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.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) August 26, 2021

Regarding cultural vetting:
In addition to representatives from the Mexican government, we pursued insight on the designs and historical ties with the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Arizona Latino Arts & Cultural Center and received positive feedback all around.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) August 26, 2021

Phoenix will continue to use "The Valley" jerseys for the upcoming NBA season, and the Aztec concept is not yet guaranteed to enter the franchise's rotation.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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