A true sports city has experienced a revitalization of sorts thanks to a team with humble beginnings. The Toronto Raptors were established on November 4, 1993, as the NBA's 28th franchise. They won their first NBA championship a little more than 9300 days later. For the first time since the World Series (decades ago, when the Blue Jays went back), Toronto can celebrate a sports championship of major proportions. There can be little doubt that Canadians will, for years (maybe decades), remember where they were when they watched the 2019 NBA championship.
Who Are the Raptors?
Based in Ontario’s Toronto, the Toronto Raptors are members of the NBA's Eastern Conference Atlantic division. This professional Canadian basketball team calls Scotiabank Arena home. The arena is shared with the area’s NHL team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. As part of the National Basketball Association's expansion into Canada, the Raptors team was founded in 1995.
The first years were tough ones for the Raptors, but league attendance records would soon be set with the acquisition of Vince Carter. In 2001, the team would face their first playoff series, thanks (in part) to Carter. Though Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004, significant progress was made during the seasons during which he was with the team. Chris Bosh took over, after Carter left, as team leader. For the first time in five years, the Raptors qualified for a playoff in the 2006 – 2007 season. In July 2010, Bosch left the Raptors to play for the Miami Heat, despite significant persuasion attempts by general manager Brian Colangelo.
In 2013, Colangelo was replaced by Masai Ugiri and a newly successful era began. For every year of Ujir’s tenure, the Raptors were consistently in the playoffs. After the 2018 playoffs concluded unsuccessfully, head coach Dwane Casey was fired. Finally, the Eastern conference was won by the Raptors in the 2019 playoffs. The finals were next, and, at last, the NBA championship was won by the Raptors.
On Their Way To The Title
The 2019 championship is shared by more than just Toronto's current team members. It is shared by every individual who assisted in the development of the organization from day one. It's for each and every player that has worn a Raptors uniform. This championship is for every single fan who remained faithful through the good times and the bad.
In the quarter-century that led to this event, the Raptor’s franchise had some incredible moments. Vinsanity was running wild in the early 2000's and late 90s. In the mid 2000s, helping establish Toronto as a force with which to be reckoned, Chris Bosh then carried the torch. At last, setting the stage for what would develop into an NBA championship team, Kyle Lowery and DeMar DeRozan made themselves known in no uncertain terms.
A Recognizable Logo
It could have everything to do with the popularity of Jurassic Park, but a relatively ferocious looking velociraptor was picked as the team’s first logo. The dinosaur appeared dribbling a basketball and wearing white sneakers. Originally, the team colors were silver, black, bright red, and purple. The logo dropped the color purple during the 2008-2009 series. A circular shield with a basketball clearly torn apart by the vicious velociraptor became the new primary logo in December 2014.
Hat Heaven carries hats with the old logo and the new logo for avid fans of the Toronto Raptors. Check out our selections today.
