Toronto Raptors: Where does the Dino jersey rank in the NBA?

A familiar favourite in Toronto Raptors folklore, the Dino jersey is finally back in the spotlight. Where does it rank as one of the best jerseys in the NBA this season?

Nothing feels fresher than new uniforms. One of the nuances that make the NBA one of the best leagues in the world is the style that comes with a uniform. Unlike the NFL – whose uniforms feel a bit plain and drag sometimes – teams in the NBA mix up their threads on the regular. This season, the Toronto Raptors have done just that, bringing back one of the all-time great jerseys in sports.

The Dino jersey. First worn in the Raptors inaugural season back in 1995, the white Dino jersey was cartoonish – larger than life in some respects – and for a team that knew the next few years would be challenging, it brought a sense of style to the NBA.

Sure, uniforms can just be uniforms, but sometimes they can be more than that. They can be symbolic, representing the future or giving props to an era in the past. Or they can just be an ode to the city the team resides in, using the colours of the city to fashion a jersey that you want to see on the court and in the street.

Every year, we see more throwback jerseys, more creative and quirky designs that stand out amongst the norm – but also some designs that just don’t work. That, however, is entirely subjective and up to personal preference.

But still, the season is fast approaching and fans will want to purchase their teams newest jersey with their favourite player on the back. It’s representing your team, your player, and your city. The NBA, as a collective, has enough style in its locker for any of the 30 teams that reside in it to drop something hot.

Sometimes, the best jerseys are the ones that we’ve seen long before. The throwback jersey. A jersey that commemorates a historic season from a team’s past, or – like the Raptors – just an incredibly sexy jersey.

That’s the Dino jersey in abundance. But is it the nicest alternate jersey in the NBA?

5. Houston Rockets

In commemoration of a historic championship-winning 1994-95 season, the Houston Rockets recently unveiled their Classic jersey for this upcoming season. And boy, is it a classic. The ketchup and mustard design jersey is a fan favourite around the league and is a timeless look, no matter the circumstances.

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The Rockets start a new era with James Harden and Russell Westbrook at the helm, and in turn, brought in a new logo, as well as three new jerseys for the upcoming season. The Classic jersey is really the one that stands out.

Worn by greats such as Hakeem Olajuwon, the jersey harks back to an era of stylish crewnecks, as opposed to the usual V-neck that we’ve seen in recent NBA history. Along with that, the italicized writing is a huge hit – even with a lower case “t” sneaking in there. Even the plain block numbering looks great.

The best part of the jersey still remains the duel-colored paneling. The yellow and white combination, mixed with the overwhelmingly beautiful red is one of the nicest looks in the league. Even the shorts scream a clean, but fairly, basic look that works so well.

The waistband is a plain white look that, unlike the three other uniforms released by the Rockets, doesn’t feature the team’s logo. The trim around the shorts does continue the yellow and white combo, which tops off a great overall look.

A big season it could be for the Houston Rockets and a jersey that fits with a championship-contending feel.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

Last season ended in painstaking fashion for the Philadelphia 76ers. A last-second buzzer-beater from Kawhi Leonard clinched the series for the Toronto Raptors and sent the Sixers packing in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. If the Sixers make it to overtime, they have every right to believe that they could have won that game.

This season they’ll be back as one of the best teams in the NBA thanks to an assiduous offseason which saw them trade away Jimmy Butler but pick up Josh Richardson and Al Horford in the process. Now, that team is full of length and could be the favourites in the East.

They’ll be back in style, for sure. Figuratively and literally.

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Inspired by, and paying homage to, the Philadelphia 76ers team of 1970-71, this Classic uniform from the Sixers does have a real seventies feel to it. Worn by the likes of Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer, the Sixers of the 1970-71 NBA season made it to the postseason for a record 22nd consecutive season – a record that still stands to this day.

Now, the Sixers of this season will be hoping to head to the playoffs for the third year in a row under Brett Brown, and they’ll look good doing so. Like the Rockets jersey, the Sixers’ version features duel-coloured paneling around the shoulders and neck, using their famous red and blue colouring to do so.

The main talking point of the jersey is the large “S” which encompasses both “Seventy” and “Sixers”, which looks absolutely stunning without taking up too much space.

It’s the shorts that probably give this uniform the edge over the Rockets, though. The shorts have the blue and red trim all the way around, as well as an oversizes NBA logo, just for more authenticity.

To complete the look, the waistband features the classic 76ers logo inside the Liberty Bell on the belt. The Sixers will look rocking in these uniforms while terrorizing the NBA this year.

3. Utah Jazz

Just like the Rockets, the Utah Jazz are set to bring back one of the most iconic jerseys in franchise history – and probably all of sport.

In celebration of the most successful period in Utah Jazz basketball history, where the team made the NBA Finals in two straight seasons, finishing with 60-plus wins in both regular seasons, the purple mountain jerseys, worn by the likes of Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek, and John Stockton, make their triumphant return.

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The jersey features the famous white and purple mountain range, as well as the teams 90’s font across the chest. The jersey and shorts are both lined with the teal, copper, and white trim, while the shorts feature the mountain range on one leg, and the Jazz initials on the other, just for an added quirk.

Hopefully, the Utah Jazz can replicate the success of 22 years ago and go back to the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1997-98 season. They had a busy offseason, picking up Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic to add to a loaded roster that features the likes of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz have one of the most well-rounded rosters in the NBA and will be looking to make a push to contend while wearing some of the best threads in the NBA.

2. Memphis Grizzlies

While the Memphis Grizzlies might not have the most success on the court this season, they will be comfortable in the fact they’ll be rocking one of the nicest uniforms in the NBA this season.

In celebration of their 25th season in the NBA, the Grizzlies will don their Vancouver-era uniforms that proved to a hit with basketball fans all over the world. While the Grizzlies only stuck around in Vancouver for six seasons – never winning more than 23 games – their famous uniforms made a lasting impact around the league.

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The uniform includes a 25th-anniversary badge that features the team’s original Grizzly bear logo, as well as the iconic bear resting on the team’s shorts. Dressed in their original base teal colour, lined with the native Canadian North Pacific pattern, the Grizzlies will be rocking one of the best uniforms in the NBA this season, no doubt about it.

Everything about this uniform screams 90s throwback without looking too outdated. The white Nike logo on the shoulder adds such a clean dimension, giving the uniform an updated feel to it in the 21st century.

In actuality, this uniform could have ranked as the best in the league in any other season, but one uniform has to take the top spot over it.

1. Toronto Raptors

Back by popular demand, the Toronto Raptors have finally brought back one of the most iconic jerseys – not just in the NBA – but all of sports. The fabled Dino jersey. The original jersey of the Toronto Raptors.

First worn by the Raptors in their inaugural NBA season 25 years ago, the Dino jersey was an instant hit. It immediately fit in with the larger-than-life caricatures of cartoon NBA logos, with the giant Velociraptor playing basketball and the sharp, almost claw-like, lettering above it.

Now, 25 years later, it’s finally back, and it’s not a moment too soon.

Featuring a cool, purple and red trim around the neck and shoulders, as well as the jagged black and silver lining down the torso of the jersey, the uniform is just as nice as it was all those years ago – if not better.

The Raptors will have a year of celebration as the spend the next 82 games as the defending NBA champions while honouring 25 years as a franchise in style. The Dino jersey is, without a doubt, the best in the NBA

The team will have a throwback court to pair with the jersey, just for added measure, as they look to defend their title while looking good, and feeling good.