2022-23

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Season-long initiative amplified local businesses making a difference in the community; partnership championed diversity, equity and inclusion

Early in the 2022-23 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns and FirstBank launched the FirstBank Empowerment Awards, a season-long program designed to strengthen marginalized communities through economic empowerment. The program expanded on the Los Suns Small Business MVP Award that the team started in 2018.

Over the past seven months since launching the program, the FirstBank and Suns partnership recognized six minority-owned small businesses across the Valley this season; each recipient received a $5,000 grant courtesy of FirstBank and marketing promotion through Phoenix Suns channels including social media posts and in-arena recognition during Suns and Mercury home games.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They keep things humming, yet, many minority-owned small businesses face barriers to success and disparities inaccessible resources compared to their counterparts,” said Humphrey Shin, FirstBank Phoenix Market President. “That’s why we’re so thrilled to continue our partnership with the Phoenix Suns to reward and champion historically underrepresented businesses. This is just one of several ways FirstBank hopes to advance diversity, equity and inclusion across our communities, and we’re glad the Suns share similar goals.”

The 2022-23 FirstBank Empowerment Award Winners were:

Since partnering with the Suns in 2019, FirstBank has donated more than $130,000 to the local community through donations to non-profit organizations and small business grants. The Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and its partners proudly support Arizona’s diverse communities.

The Suns and Mercury are committed to building a culture on and off the court where everyone belongs and can be celebrated. Both teams will continue to uplift the small businesses, artists and creators who offer inspiration and drive the culture that makes Phoenix home. Learn more about the FirstBank Empowerment Award recipients and the Suns’ and Mercury’s efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion at Suns.com/Diversity.

Sign up below to be notified when nominations open for next year’s FirstBank Empowerment Awards.

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SUNS AND FIRSTBANK CELEBRATE SIX MINORITY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE VALLEY

During the 2022-23 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns and FirstBank launched the FirstBank Empowerment Awards, a season-long program designed to strengthen marginalized communities through economic empowerment. The program expands on the Los Suns Small Business MVP Award that the team started in 2018 and provides a financial grant and marketing value to deserving minority-owned small businesses across the Valley.

Doubling down on the Suns’ commitment to celebrating the culture and accomplishments of the Valley’s Asian American and Pacific Islander community, the AAPI Award is dedicated to a deserving AAPI-owned small business in Arizona. The award has been presented to entrepreneur Desmond Martin, founder and owner of Happy Honu Shave Ice in Arizona, who uses his passion for sharing aloha to positively impact his family and community.  

Martin created his shave ice company alongside his wife, Laura, in 2009 to blend their favorite childhood treats and find a way to share them with their community. Laura grew up in Phoenix and was raised on “Raspados” – Mexican-style shave ice desserts. Desmond grew up in Haleiwa, Hawaii on the island of Oahu where Hawaiian-style shave ice was always an “after-da-beach” treat. Happy Honu Shave Ice allowed them to integrate their passions for shave ice while also showing their children to set a goal and see it through as entrepreneurs.

“Shave ice is a way of life,” said Martin. “Sometimes a reward for hard work around the house or a way to cool off after a day at the beach.”

“This is our way of expressing our aloha toward the Valley of the Sun,” he added.

Happy Honu Shave Ice is family owned and operated and is dedicated to providing customers with the freshest and softest shave ice, embellished with their choice of their favorite flavors and toppings.

Their menu offers more than 30 premium flavors to please every palette, including four sugar-free options. Guests can add a generous scoop of the best vanilla ice cream or tropical-flavored mini mochi balls before topping it off with sweet condensed milk (snowcap), homemade haupia (coconut) whip cream, li hing mui powder or chamoy and tajin. The menu also featured several preset combinations to choose from.

&nbsp;“We share this with people because it brings a feeling of joy, a feeling of community when you bring people together,” continued Martin.

“We like to share together over food and what better way than over some shave ice.”

As the recipient of the AAPI Award, Martin received a $5,000 small business grant, courtesy of FirstBank as well as promotional support on Phoenix Suns social media and website.

“Being given the AAPI Entrepreneur Award means the world to us, it means the world to me as an Asian American Pacific Islander from Hawaii.”

“This gives me the chance to share with the world what brings us joy and what brings the world joy through our shave ice. We’d like to thank the Suns and FirstBank for allowing us to just be who we are and serve the community.”

Since partnering with the Suns in 2019, FirstBank has donated more than $100,000 to the local community through donations to non-profit organizations and small business grants. The launch of the FirstBank Empowerment Awards adds five small business grants throughout the Suns season as well as the inaugural Phoenix Mercury EntrepreneuHER Award last season.

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AAPI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: HAPPY HONU SHAVE ICE

– Winner to Be Announced During 2023 NBA Conference Finals –

– NBA to Donate $100,000 to the Social Justice Non-profit of Winner’s Choice, Other Four Finalists to Receive $25,000 Donations to Non-profits on their Behalf –

The NBA today announced that Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul has been selected as one of five finalists for the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award.&nbsp; The five finalists represent the year’s most impactful social justice advocates who are continuing NBA players’ decades-long tradition of activism.&nbsp; The annual award recognizes a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged.&nbsp;

The finalists were determined from the pool of team nominees by the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion selection committee, comprised of the following social justice leaders and members of the NBA family: Abdul-Jabbar, Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen, and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum are in their third year on the committee, as well as Leah Harmon, the 2022-23 youth representative and member of the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders.

Chris Paul’s personal connection to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) drives his unwavering support for the institutions, their students and alumni.&nbsp; Paul supplements pipelines for HBCU graduates, recognizing their potential to diversify traditional workplaces.&nbsp; In addition to graduating from Winston-Salem State University in December 2022, he has also hosted two HBCU basketball tournaments to increase national exposure for student-athletes and created a “Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports” case-study-based course that is expanding to HBCUs nationwide.

Paul also provided much-needed financial support to HBCU students and graduates, endowing scholarships, creating summer internships and providing more than $55,000 in grants to Black-owned businesses through Social Change Fund United.&nbsp; Additionally, as part of his passion for civic engagement, he worked alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama to increase student voting engagement for the 2022 midterms by 40 percent.&nbsp; The only athlete appointed to President Joe Biden's Board of Advisors on HBCUs, Paul’s political participation enables him to amplify the importance of the HBCU experience.

The winner of the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award will be announced during 2023 NBA Conference Finals and will receive a $100,000 donation from the NBA for a social justice organization of his choosing.&nbsp; The other four finalists will each select a social justice organization to receive a $25,000 contribution on their behalf.

The other 2022-23 nominees include Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Memphis Grizzlies forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr., San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones and Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams. Previous winners are Dallas Mavericks guard-forward Reggie Bullock (2021-22) and NBA veteran Carmelo Anthony (2020-21).

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CHRIS PAUL NAMED FINALIST FOR 2022-23 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR SOCIAL JUSTICE CHAMPION AWARD

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Kevin Durant talks with the media following his teams loss to the Nuggets.

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DEN 125, PHX 100: Kevin Durant's Postgame Media Availability

Cameron Payne talks with the media following his teams loss to the Nuggets.

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DEN 125, PHX 100: Cameron Payne's Postgame Media Availability

Suns coach Monty Williams talks with the media following his teams loss to the Nuggets.

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DEN 125, PHX 100: Monty Williams' Postgame Media Availability

The Nuggets won Game 5, 118-102, in Denver Tuesday night to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Suns will host Game 6 at Footprint Center as the series returns to Phoenix.

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UNIFORM: Statement Edition (Suns) Association Edition (Nuggets)

TICKETS: Great seats for Game 6 are still available, buy HERE.

With the home team winning every game this series, we need Suns fans to join us in downtown Phoenix to continue a true home court advantage at Footprint Center!

Reminder: Ticketmaster is the only verified marketplace for all Phoenix Suns tickets, including resale from PayPal SixthMan Season Ticket Members and other fans. All tickets purchased through the Phoenix Suns, Ticketmaster or the Footprint Center box office are 100% guaranteed by the Suns.

Doors will open to fans two hours before tipoff for the entire 2023 postseason for fans to stock up at the team shop and enjoy the playoff atmosphere before the game.

Halftime will feature a live performance by hip-hop group Travis Porter.

Give yourself extra time heading downtown as the Arizona Diamondbacks host the San Francisco Giants at 6:40 next door.

Deandre Ayton – Questionable (rib contusion)

PHX: Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Cameron Payne

DEN: Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jamal Murray

Through the first 10 games of this postseason, Devin Booker has tallied 359 points and 71 assists, joining Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to total 350+ points and 70+ assists through the first 10 games of a single postseason (Jordan did so in both 1989 and 1990).

Devin Booker leads the NBA with 35.9 points per game during the playoffs, shooting 60.1 FG% and 51.7 3P%.

Kevin Durant posted 26 points on 10-of-24 shooting, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 block in Game 5. Averaging&nbsp; 29.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game during these playoffs, Durant joins NBA MVP Joel Embiid as the only players to rank in the top 15 in points per game, rebounds and blocks per game this postseason.

Among all players in NBA history to play in at least 30 career playoff games, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each rank in the top 6 in career postseason scoring average and are 2 of only 6 players to average 28+ points per game:

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GAME PREVIEW: ROUND 2 GAME 6

Led by Nikola Jokic's 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, the No. 1 seed Nuggets defeat the No. 4 seed Suns in Game 5, 118-102. Bruce Brown (25 points, five rebounds) and Jamal Murray (19 points, five rebounds, six assists) added a combined 44 points in the victory. Devin Booker (28 points, six rebounds, four assists) and Kevin Durant (26 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists) combined for 54 points for the Suns in the losing effort. The Nuggets lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, with Game 6 taking place on Thursday, May 11 (10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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Game Recap: Nuggets 118, Suns 102

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2022‑23