SALT LAKE CITY — Ten-year-old Tayden Dyches shot jumpers at Vivint Arena Monday evening with his dad, Josh, using a rubbery green, purple and gold Utah Jazz basketball.
The overall setup and logistics of the arena were the same, except for the colors as the Jazz unveiled their brand-new Nike City Edition court and jerseys to fans and the media.
Instead of the traditional colorway, the Jazz will break out the alternate gradient uniforms, which fades from bright gold to deep burgundy.
As Dyches nailed shots, the Junior Jazz star said he was getting the rims warmed up for Utah players Tuesday night when they host the defending champion Golden State Warriors at 7 p.m.
“It’s really cool, I like the new colors and new jerseys,” said Dyches, smiling.
The concept of the matching court and uniforms has been in the works for some time now with Nike, as a nod to the state’s red rocks and Canyonlands of southern Utah.
David Williams, from the Utah Office of Tourism, was also on site to see the project come to life.
Williams will turn 48 on Tuesday night as the game is happening, but still vividly recalls being a 9-year-old for the first-ever Utah Jazz regular-season home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 15, 1979, at The Salt Palace.
The Jazz lost 131-107, but he’ll never forget the feeling of sitting in the stands and actually receiving a certificate for being in attendance for what is now history.
He hopes kids like Dyches will get the same experience with the new City Edition jersey and court.
“This whole thing to me is part of the legacy they started from when they first got here and I know those were hard financial times for the Jazz and the Millers saved the day and here we are,” Williams said. “It’s awesome.”