TORONTO — A special edition Toronto Raptors jersey unveiled on Thursday tries to sum up the franchise's 30 seasons in the NBA.
The black uniform has a red dinosaur wearing Vince Carter's purple No. 15 jersey in the midst of a between-the-legs bounce dunk, replicating one of the Hall of Famer's iconic jams that helped him win the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk contest.
Shannon Hosford, the chief marketing officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, said she loves all the small details on the jersey that pull different design elements from the Raptors' three decades of uniforms.
"It's really the mix tape of our history," said Hosford. "The scratch marks are back to the '95 jersey, the icon on the front is a reimagined version of that dino.
"I'd say every little piece, it means something to us so I love all of it."
Although the Raptors unveiled the jersey on Thursday, it won't be worn in a game until Nov. 21 when Toronto hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scotiabank Arena. It will be worn in a total of five games this season.
It's the first of the Raptors’ City Edition uniforms to feature all of the team’s brand colours throughout the years, including purple, red, gold and silver. The jersey is also the first to spotlight the crest without any text on its front, including the conventional "Toronto" copy.
Some additional design elements include the tone-on-tone claw scratch pin stripes that Hosford alluded to, a nod to the Raptors jersey from the inaugural 1995 season.
Hosford said that creating the jersey started two years ago in collaboration with the NBA.
"What they presented initially wasn't exactly how we envisioned our 30th anniversary so we went back and actually hired a local artist (Kevin Briones) that we'd worked with before, and came up with this Vince Carter dunking Raptor version," said Hosford.
Carter was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on Oct. 13 and had his No. 15 jersey retired by Toronto on Nov. 2, the first player to be so honoured in team history.
Although the City Edition jersey wasn't unveiled until Thursday, Carter alluded to it in a news conference before his number was retired.
"Do you know how big that is?" said Carter. "Even if this day (when his jersey was retired) did not happen, wherever I am working, watching TV, I will get to watch a Raptor game with a picture of me dunking a basketball on a jersey.
"That's equivalent to me, like Jerry West, 'The Logo,' on an NBA sock, on an NBA backboard. That's me now. That's crazy."
Hosford said that Carter was "fabulous" throughout the design process.
"He loved the jersey, he loved the design, he got right behind it," said Hosford. "He really defined our organization at a pivotal time.
"Everyone who's a Raptors fan knows that moment, knows that dunk. It inspired a generation, so I think he's really proud to be a part of it, too."
Team president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri said in a statement released Thursday that the 30th anniversary is a season to celebrate the people and the moments that have shaped the Raptors franchise.
"Is there a better example of that feeling than the image of Vince’s unbelievable dunk?" said Ujiri. "It reminds us that we can inspire. It allows us to dream of flying. It is proudly Toronto.
"And this uniform is unique in the league — just like the team and fans who will proudly wear it."
The Art Gallery of Ontario is hosting a limited-time installation that spotlights the City Edition uniform with a statue of the dunking dino. Fans can see the engaging display from Nov. 14 to 17 as part of regular admission to the AGO.
Those who visit and scan the installation’s QR code will have the chance to win a City Edition jersey signed by Carter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press