Phoenix Suns Uniform History
Over the Suns’ 50 year history the team has played in 25 different uniforms. From the first ‘Wild West’ all the way to the brand new Nike unis, Phoenix as put on some of the most iconic uniforms in NBA history.
The First Uniforms:
In 1968 Phoenix entered the league with the ‘sans’ jerseys. These jerseys contained the teams colors, along with the word Phoenix in sans font. The Suns were rushed to get uniforms out in time for the inaugural season, resulting in a very basic design.
The Wild Wild West
Following the 1972-73 season the Suns wanted to revamp their basic design, this resulted in the ‘Wild West’ uniforms. While not much was changed, the western style font brought new life the the Phoenix Suns. The design fit the Suns persona and style of play perfectly and left fans in awe.
A New Era
After 20 years of basketball, Phoenix needed a change. With a new arena in downtown Phoenix, a new uniform was needed, thus creating the ‘Sunburst” uniforms. This uniform featured a sunburst on the chest, highlighted by the Suns name above and the player number below. Along with the traditional white and purple, this uniform featured an all new black edition. Fans of the team and NBA alike, loved these uniforms and the teams that played in them.
The Nash Era
The fourth set of Suns uniforms came with a more casual approach. With a pretty basic uniform design and bold characters, these became a staple in the league during the years of Phoenix’s stellar play. In 2003 Phoenix released the orange unis. These jerseys were worn in many important games during the 2000’s.
The Next “New Era”
After the Nash era, Phoenix lost it’s identity. They changed up the logo and brought in new jerseys to the franchise. This go around the team got even more basic with the uniforms. Feature plain white and plain purple with orange trims, the design was basic but very clean.
Los Suns
Throughout the years of Phoenix Basketball, many alternate uniforms have been worn. The most iconic alternates are the Latin Heritage ‘Los Suns’ uniforms. With the heavy Hispanic culture in Arizona, these uniforms brought a new culture to Phoenix Basketball.
The Rebuild
This season the NBA released new Nike uniforms. The Suns new uniforms mix past and present to create a new feel. The rebuilding effort and youth movement are reflected in these uniforms and give fans something to be excited about. What makes these uniforms special, is how they implement past designs without looking outdated.