Leon Bridges, sporting a “City Edition” jersey from the Trinity River Blues collection. Photo: Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
Music and sports have collided in spectacular fashion as the Dallas Mavericks announced a collaboration with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Leon Bridges.
The team’s “City Edition” uniforms, which draw on each team’s unique civic history, has been a staple of the NBA for the last seven seasons. The 2023-24 “City Edition” uniforms for the Mavericks are being presented as the Trinity River Blues Collection, which, per press materials, draws on “the more-than-century-old history of Southern Blues music.” (It’s also a particularly clever bit of synergy with the Deep Ellum neighborhood, itself celebrating a 150th anniversary this year.)
To honor the blues legends like “Blind Lemon” Jefferson, who cut their teeth in the 1910s and ’20s down in Deep Ellum, the Mavericks collaborated with the Fort Worth-bred Bridges to create the uniforms, which feature “a dark, moody color palette, Bridges’ rhythmic handwriting and embossed guitar strings signifying the ties that bind the community together.”
The Mavericks will wear the “City Edition” uniforms for the first time on Nov. 10, facing off against the Los Angeles Clippers at the American Airlines Center.
“I was really honored when given the opportunity to work with the Dallas Mavericks and Nike on this year’s ‘City Edition’ jersey,” Bridges said in a statement. “North Texas is my home, and I love being able to give back to the community that supported me first and continues to show me love and show up for me.
“Fashion is important to me, and it was exciting to get to work on the design side of things, especially for an organization as iconic as the Dallas Mavericks. Sport and music go hand in hand, and I hope people enjoy the little touches like the guitar strings that acknowledge our area’s rich musical history.”
To celebrate the collection’s launch, the Mavericks will also host a concert featuring Bridges on Dec. 1 at the American Airlines Center, after the Mavericks face off against the Memphis Grizzlies, clad in — yes, the “City Edition” uniforms. For more information or to shop the collection, visit mavs.com/city.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
