Thursday, September 28th, 2006 at 11:55 am  |  25 responses

Toronto’s New Jerseys, Reviewed

We take a look at the new T-Dot jerseys…from a designer’s viewpoint.

by Lang Whitaker

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the new Raptors uniforms. Did MoPete accidentally leak the uniforms on his MySpace page? Does MoPete even have a MySpace page?

Anyway, the Raptors unveiled their new jerseys yesterday at a press conference in Toronto, during a charity golf tournament. (Was I the only one disappointed that Bryan Colangelo didn’t show up in knickers and a beret?)
In order to get a purely aesthetic take on the new colors and uniforms, I invited Melissa Brennan, SLAM’s Creative Director, over to my desk to take a look at their new loook…

“What’s the difference? Did they make any change to their jerseys? [It is pointed out that they took out the purple accents.] What do they have against purple?

I don’t know…I guess I prefer the black over the purple. But it’s not much of a change. So far, none of these teams have really wowed me with their new looks.”

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  • Tom Posted: Sep.28 at 12:10 pm
    I’d like to see the Wizards get new jerseys….of course I’d also like to see them get a new name, or just go back to being the Bullets.

  • J.E. Skeets Posted: Sep.28 at 12:42 pm
    Tom: Rumor has it the Wiz will unveil an alternate black and gold road jersey this year.

  • Young C Posted: Sep.28 at 12:47 pm
    I agree with Washington needing new jerseys. They’ve had basically the same ones since they switched to the Wiz in the mid-90s. The Nets aslo have had theirs since the mid-90s and probably need it worse than any team right now.Those bland blue and confederate army gray jerseys with the “net” stitching on the sides is not fly whatsoever.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: Sep.28 at 12:52 pm
    They need to start wearing the Barney throwbacks, a few times a year, wheres the away jerseys?

  • noah doucette Posted: Sep.28 at 1:00 pm
    i like the new jerseys, kinda bland (i meen there isnt a giant raptor running accross a pinstripe background.)but there ok. i think NOK needs new jerseys. those yella ones are especially ugly.

  • Jamison Posted: Sep.28 at 1:17 pm
    They look too similar to Miami’s jerseys to me.

  • Dj Posted: Sep.28 at 1:25 pm
    wiz should def. become the bullets again, it totally fits gilbert. no one commenting about the hideousness that is the Golden state warriors? nets shud return to the patriotic red/white/blue theme, with a modern overtone of course.

  • Chris O'Leary Posted: Sep.28 at 2:08 pm
    Any team with a yellow jersey (alt’s included) needs to re-think what they’re doing. And how did the Bobcats get out of the gate with the ugly-ass jerseys they’ve got?

  • Alex Posted: Sep.28 at 2:53 pm
    Was it just me or did Vince make the purple jerseys from 2000-2005 look great, no homo? I never once said “oh man those jerseys are purple how funny”, I always took them serious and they loooked good. Plus, they were unique. Whne you saw that purple it was Toronto. Now with this…is it Miami? Houston?

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Sep.28 at 3:13 pm
    I think they’re hoping to confuse T-Mac into playing for them again.

  • Dblizzy Posted: Sep.28 at 4:46 pm
    Now thats funny Russ. lol Anyway, is it just me or did anyone have trouble recognizing the raptor players! Besides Mo Pete and Rasho(who I didn’t even know was on the Raps) who are those guys. I’m feelin Pap or whatever his name is, with the loafers and no socks. Very grown mannish!

  • t dot j. Posted: Sep.28 at 4:51 pm
    ya man, i never understood wut the purple was for in the first place on the original logo the raptor is red, where’d the purple come from? anyways could use some more black on it and for real boing was right for at least a couple of games wear the throwback jersey with the raptor logo, tdottdottdottdottdottdottdot…….

  • Justin Posted: Sep.28 at 4:56 pm
    Getting rid of the purple – good first step. Next – get rid of the name. Worst name in the NBA, by far.

  • Off Topic Posted: Sep.28 at 4:58 pm
    What? You really think Toronto Raptors is not a good name? You’re nuts dude. What do you perfer, Toronto Moose? Toronto Snow? Toronto Blizzards? Sheesh.

  • Young C Posted: Sep.28 at 5:29 pm
    What they really need to do is stop with all the animal nicknames for expansion franchises. The past 3 or 4 franchises have been named after animals: Grizzlies, Raptors, Bobcats. What ever happened to the ambiguously creative nicknames like Jazz… Magic… Lakers… Pacers… 76ers…Clippers?? They just dont make ‘em like they used to.

  • Gord Posted: Sep.28 at 7:50 pm
    I don’t see what’s wrong with the name “Raptors”…at least it’s not “Mighty Ducks”…stupid Disney, and good call Mr. Bengston, that made me laugh

  • Alex Posted: Sep.28 at 11:06 pm
    In other Toronto jersey news, this year some guy named Garbajosa will be wearing number 15. Did I think Vince was going to get his number retired? Hell no! But it’ll be kinda sad to see anyone else wear 15.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: Sep.29 at 12:02 am
    Im crying inside.
    Inside only tho, i promise.

  • Marvin Posted: Sep.29 at 4:57 am
    When are we going to get to see the new Bucks jerseys?? Please ATL loose the yellow Micky D jerseys.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.29 at 8:05 pm
    man they look just like the rockets’ jerseys the raptors need their own look.

  • Matt Posted: Oct.3 at 12:51 pm
    “But it’ll be kinda sad to see anyone else wear 15.” Yeah, but it will be funny seeing VC trying to dunk on and posterize his former self.

  • » Project Runway: Washington Wizards edition - SLAM Online Posted: Oct.24 at 11:35 am
    [...] Today we continue our tradition of breaking down new fashion/design trends in the NBA by bringing in SLAM creative director Melissa Brennan. (For a previous edition, check here.) Today we take a look at the new third uniforms recently debuted by the Wizards. [...]

  • Ian Brown Posted: Mar.14 at 4:29 pm
    The Raptors are owned by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (which also own a number of other Toronto sports franchises). When the Grizzlies left Vancouver, the Raptors were the only team left in this country and so the MLSE people saw an opprotunity to re-brand the Raptors as “Canada’s Team.” The Canadian colours are red and white, so the owners have slowly been changing the jerseys for a couple of years now (last year they wore the red and whites numerous times, mostly at a way games). The more people in Canada accept the Raptors as their team, the more jersey’s they sell, more highlight shows they get on etc etc. Personally, I like the red and whites a lot more.

  • Vince Carter Posted: Aug.22 at 8:32 pm
    I miss Toronto, I will be back to the raptors in 2010!

  • Jabari Vilma Posted: Aug.22 at 8:34 pm
    Ye we miss you to Vince! come back! dont flop u better come! Air Canada in 2010 seen!

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