'El Valle': Phoenix Suns unveil new court, jerseys for in-season tournament

PHOENIX - The Phoenix Suns game on Nov. 10 was their first as part of the new NBA in-season tournament. They took on the Los Angeles Lakers and check this out - a specially made court for this set of games.

The court is primarily purple with a turquoise strip down the middle.

The NBA Cup is placed at center court, along with the phrase "El Valle."

All 30 teams have specialized courts of their own.

We caught up with fans to see how they feel about the upgrades, and they're loving it. A new tournament, new court, and new jerseys. Fans came from all across the country for Friday's game.

The Phoenix Suns hardwood will look a bit different this season. Now bright purple and teal, and it was possible because of Nemo Cockrell and his friend.

"I painted the court," he said.

It took 2,000 hours and 50 gallons of paint. Cockrell of Baseline Sports Floors out of Oklahoma says they had to paint it in sections and work quickly as the paint dries in 90 seconds.

"They sent it to Oklahoma City, and we ended up sanding everything down. This is the Mercury court, so we started painting everything and getting everything together, and we hand-delivered it out here." 

Seeing Suns fans' reactions makes it all worth it.

"It feels good to see everyone out on the court. I’m proud of it."

Along with the court, the Phoenix Suns new city edition jerseys, "El Valle," or "The Valley" in Spanish – honoring the Hispanic culture and diverse fan base.

"I think we are proud. It makes us proud. You know that they are doing something good for the community and for the Hispanics. I feel like there’s a lot of people in Arizona that are Hispanic and come and love the game, love the players, so I think it’s good.," said Nelly Solis.

The uniform highlights the classic low rider, which the city is home to dozens of clubs and annual car shows, and is inspired by the Chicano art movement.

"I love it so much because it really embraces our culture because I’m Hispanic as well, so we are really well known and seen, so it feels great," said Benjamin Trujillo.

To learn more about the new tournament, rules, and format, check out NBA.com/news/in-season-tournament-101.