The Austin Spurs, the G League Affiliate of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, announced this week that they will be known as “Los Raros de Austin” for three games this season.
The alternate identity, which translates to “The Austin Weirdos” as a nod to the city’s slogan of “Keep Austin Weird,” is inspired by brightly colored Mexican folk art and the eclectic personality of the region.
The wordmark includes a spur and a basketball, while the mascot logo depicts an Alebrije, a mythical creature in Mexican culture that pulls elements from different animals, such as a buffalo with bat ears and wings.
The ears, specifically, pay homage to the free-tailed bats beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin, while the creature’s colors – Barton Creek Blue, Dark Sky Indigo, Marquee Magenta and Texas Sun Yellow – tie into the city’s landscape.
The mascot also has a nose ring with the abbreviation “ATX” to acknowledge the franchise’s mascot, Da Bull.
The Spurs will become “Los Raros De Austin” and wear new blue uniforms featuring the aforementioned wordmark across the chest and magenta numbers for games on Nov. 27, Jan. 9 and March 5.
They’ll then auction off the uniforms to benefit the Mexic-Arte Museum, which is dedicated to the preservation of Mexican, Latino and Latin American art and culture.
Photos courtesy of @austin_spurs on Twitter.