Coyotes & Forever Ever Collaborate on Black Excellence Jerseys

Deon Baker Jr. has already made a name for himself, but in his eyes, he's just getting started.

The creator of the clothing brand Forever Ever has collaborated with a few individual athletes previously, but has never had the opportunity to work with a team. That changed over the summer, when the Arizona Coyotes reached out to see if he would be willing to create a Black Excellence jersey that the team will feature prior to its game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.

The hockey sweater features the phrase “Yotes Forever” in white text over the outline of the state of Arizona, and will be worn by players walking in to Mullett Arena prior to Friday’s game. Fans can begin bidding now, and the there will also be a limited edition t-shirt available for purchase at a later date.

Baker, a Pittsburgh native, said it was an easy decision when the Coyotes Foundation approached him about working together.

“I immediately got super excited,” he said. “I knew right away I was 100 percent in.”

The occasion marks the second consecutive season where the team has collaborated with a local designer during Black History Month following last year’s partnership with J.T. Holmes and his brand, Modern Rockstars. Proceeds earned will be used by the Arizona Coyotes Foundation to support economic advancement for underserved and diverse communities – one of its main pillars of service.

The team is committed to elevating diverse voices throughout the year, and unique partnerships such as the one with Forever Ever marks just one of the ways it can do that.

“Following the success of last year’s partnership, we are thrilled to be able to highlight another individual that makes such a difference in the world around us,” said Coyotes President and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez. “Deon personifies hard work and dedication, and as a club we’re so proud to partner with the Forever Ever brand. Celebrating Deon’s work is core to who we are as an organization, and we will continue to lead by example when it comes to showcasing and elevating diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Baker has been interested in fashion from a young age, and the former college basketball player enjoys mixing vintage looks with a fresh, modern touch. He said he drew his brand inspiration not from one single designer, but instead has been influenced by the fashion and culture of the early 2000s.

Movie franchises such as “The Fast and the Furious” and “Bad Boys” were some of his favorites, and that passion shows through on the finished product of the Coyotes warm-up jersey.

His budding career has been forged by talent, hard work, and perseverance, and though he has partnered with a few NFL players previously, his collaboration with the Coyotes marks his first such venture in The Valley, where he has called home for almost three years.

“The Coyotes are the first team to give me a shot,” Baker said. “There was a lot of trial and error, just because I wanted to do so much.”

Baker said he drew his inspiration for both the jerseys and t-shirts from some of the team’s original Phoenix Coyotes merchandise, and immediately took note of how Arizona’s state outline was leveraged.

From there, he merged past with present by using the team’s current “Yotes Forever” slogan while incorporating the old English font that he often leverages in his designs – a style that was ever-present in late 90s and early 2000s fashion.

He worked within the team’s and the league’s requirements, and the end result is something he’s excited to debut at Friday’s game.

“I’m just super grateful for the opportunity,” Baker said. “It's a full circle moment for me and, and I’m speechless. [Friday] is going to be a surreal moment, for sure.”

Nadia Rivera, the Coyotes’ Chief Impact Officer and Executive Director of Foundation and Community Impact, said this year’s partnership is part of a bigger vision to further use the team’s platform to help elevate voices while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The team will have a similar initiative in March for its Inspiring Women’s Night.

“I think it’s important for organizations, especially sports teams, to have traditions,” Rivera said. “These traditions tell the story of who we are, and it builds this presence when you continue these things, and you grow them bigger and bigger.

“It’s about that consistent presence, and that growing, and that scaling, because then you have this story to tell about who you are and what you stand for as an organization.”

The collaboration is even more meaningful considering Baker is a one-man team at the moment, operating as the sole designer, creative director, packer, labeler, etc. He said consistency is key, and keeping a strong work ethic is something that will help advance his brand even further.

As an older sibling, he also strives to be a role model, and the thought that he could now inspire scores of other young, Black designers is something he doesn’t take lightly.

Marrying that with the sport of hockey makes it all that much more meaningful.

“It means a lot. Being an African-American, you don't see too many people that look like me on the ice, but a lot of people are into it,” Baker said. “I guess it clears the air and just lets people know that hockey is for everyone and then just have an opportunity to design.

“It just felt so welcoming.”

Coyotes Project Manager Bret Scroggins, who has worked closely with Baker throughout the process, said that impact is exactly why the team has started their initiative to elevate local artists.

“It’s inspiring for a kid seeing to see a Black artist create a hockey jersey for a team,” he said. “That kid may not put on a pair of skates, but maybe he’ll start designing t-shirts and become the next Deon.

“The point is to empower these kids, and for the next generation to see the opportunity.”

Rivera agreed.

“That is everything, to be able to give these amazing experiences to someone who maybe never would have gotten the opportunity,” she said. “That’s part of who we are, and who we want to be as an organization.”