The Phoenix Suns wore “Los Suns” on their jerseys in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night as a reaction to a law passed by the Arizona Legislature that makes it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally and it directs local police to question people about their immigration status and demand to see their documents if there is reason to suspect they are illegal.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Steve Nash, the Sun’s two time MVP point guard said. “I think the law is very misguided. I think it’s, unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties. I think it’s very important for us to stand up for things we believe in. As a team and as an organization, we have a lot of love and support for all of our fans. The league is very multicultural. We have players from all over the world, and our Latino community here is very strong and important to us.” Can you imagine LeBron or Kobe saying that?


This is unprecedented in the professional sports world where Michael Jordan once famously said “Republicans buy sneakers too” when asked why he didn’t publicly voice his political views. It also shows us how fucked up things are that a professional basketball team gets it more than its state’s legislators. I know it’s just adding a “los” on their jersey, but in an era where it’s easier for people to be silent than have opinions, I’m incredibly moved by the gesture. I’m a life-long Lakers fan. For 20 years I didn’t wear the color green because I had heard that Lakers’ great Jerry West did it due to his hatred of the Boston Celtics. I even rooted for them during the lazy ass Shaq years where they ripped off Laker fans by treating the regular season as a Jazzercise warm up for the playoffs. I never thought this would happen, but maybe it’s time to switch from purple and gold (I’m such a Laker fanatic that I know the official color is actually Forum blue) to

dare I say, purple and …. orange?

By the way, if their view had been something I strongly disagreed with, I would’ve still respected them. But I’d stay Purple and Gold.