Ranking all 30 NBA jerseys: Which team reigns supreme?

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 01: DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles while guarded by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during a game at TD Garden on November 1, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

2 of 31

Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors looks on in a break run play against the Indiana Pacers (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /

Ranking all 30 NBA jerseys: 30. Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are the only NBA team to play in Canada and have tried to lean into an identity as the team, not just for the city of Toronto, but for the entire country. That energy certainly seemed to be present when the Raptors won the 2019 title, and their slogan “We the North” is a great encapsulation of that.

However, it does not translate in the abstract visual the way the designers of their jerseys had hoped it would. On both the standard red and white jerseys, the team name is arrayed inside of an arrow pointing “north” to represent that the Raptors play in Canada.

This does not come across without explanation and even when it is explained it doesn’t work. It looks more like a mountain, but that doesn’t make sense for Toronto. Add in the fact that multiple NBA teams play home games north of Toronto, and it works even less often.

It also just looks bad. It makes the team name hard to read, the band of color doesn’t work for me, and it’s only slightly redeemed by the slash of identical color on the shorts. The Statement version drops the band of color, which helps, but not enough. For a team with some great logo options, they relegate them to the shorts in every look, too. Toronto needs to go back to the drawing board.

Wife Take: The black ‘V says “Look at me, I’m a basketball player.”