The Phoenix Suns are turning back the clock and upping the heat for the 2022-2023 season.
For its upcoming Classic Edition uniform, the Suns honor its shining team from 30 years ago as the 1992-1993 season was a defining year for the organization.
Leaving its first home in the Madhouse on McDowell and adding Charles Barkley who was coming off his Olympic gold medal with The Dream Team, all signs pointed to a new era of Suns basketball in The Valley.
Solidifying the epoch was a garb — the “Sunburst” uniform.
But the “Sunburst” was more than just a jersey and a matching pair of shorts; it epitomized a scorching team that was on its way to a new echelon.
“You had to have a jersey to match the excitement,” said Cedric Ceballos who played with the Suns from 1990-1994 and then again in 1997-1998. “The bursting of the sun coming out of the chest, the addition of Charles Barkley, everybody had us on their radar — it was a perfect time,” Ceballos reminisced.
With the help of the uniforms and the team’s success, America West Arena (now known as Footprint Center) earned its name as the Purple Palace.
“The excitement was there the first game we played, but putting on the uniforms and actually seeing them, it looked great. It was unbelievable,” Ceballos said.
The Phoenix Suns would blaze through the West throughout the regular season notching a 62-20 record, averaging 113 points a game, and clinching the Pacific Division Title.
With Paul Westphal at the helm, the Suns were composed of stars in their own right: Barkley; Chambers; Majerle; Ainge; Johnson; West; Kempton; Ceballos; and others.
Barkley’s utter dominance alone encapsulated the energy radiating in The Valley. Not only did the All-Star forward win regular season MVP in the midst of Michael Jordan’s reign over the league, Sir Charles and the Swoosh unveiled the Nike Air Force Max — one of his many unofficial signature shoes as the sneaker became synonymous with the Suns forward.
The success stayed with the Suns through the postseason as they blew past the West topping the Lakers, Spurs, and Sonics.
The 1993 NBA Finals, however, were a different story.
After a valiant effort that ended in six games, the inevitable happened as the Chicago Bulls claimed their first three-peat during the Jordan dynasty.
But that didn’t halt The Valley from showing love. And it hasn’t stopped the Suns from trying to finish what they started — a championship team with the “Sunburst” legacy.
Three decades later and the Phoenix Suns are bringing back the fan-favorite uniforms as the team looks to regain momentum in the West akin to the very team that serves as the muse for its Classic Edition ensemble.
“We’ve been wanting to bring it back for a long time,” said Chris Grasha, Creative Director of the Phoenix Suns when discussing the revival of the uniform. “It just happened to be the 30th anniversary of that team, and it made sense.”
To coincide with the nostalgia woven into the uniforms, the Phoenix Suns will double-down on the ’90s vibes with activations, alumni nights, special in-house collections, collaborations, and more.
As the “Sunburst” rises, the team’s championships expectations will too.
“Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, you see Devin Booker, Ayton, Monty, CP, and people wanting them to win, wanting them to finally crack the code,” Ceballos said. “The ’70s and the ’90s Suns couldn’t do it. Hopefully, these 2020s Suns can do it. Basketball aficionados want to see this organization, this team, this city bring home a championship.”
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