Toronto Raptors launch City Edition jerseys

Gone with the Black and Gold! Toronto’s newest jerseys celebrate the man of the hour, Vince Carter.

Do you think they heard us? When we said no more black and gold?

Apparently so, because the Toronto Raptors 2024-25 City edition jerseys dropped… and they are gorgeous.

Like, best in the entire league. Epic.

When these jerseys were leaked, we did rank them on Raptors HQ, and just like then, the Raptors is the best. No bias at all… lol

The jersey pays homage to Vince Carter, the original Raptors threads (as part of the 30th anniversary), and keeps in line with the team’s Purple Movement this season. The black background features purple, gold, and red accents, but the main event is the Raptor. In the style of the original Raptor, but this one is doing the iconic Carter dunk.

Another cool feature — there is no lettering on this jersey (apart from the player name on the back). The front of the jersey is simple, with the Raptor taking the main focus and the player’s number featured to the side. It’s a statement in itself, basically a message that they don’t need an introduction — everyone knows the epic Raptor, and everyone knows the iconic pose.

As part of the launch, the team is holding an event at the Art Gallery of Ontario, where the jersey is on display. Along with the jersey, there is a bronzed statue of the Raptor in the same pose featured on the jerseys.

Like many things the Raptors have done this season in celebration of their 30th anniversary, everything about this jersey and its launch has been completed with attention to detail. They’ve really popped off with the celebrations and everything has felt cohesive. From the alternate jerseys replicating the older style from the early days, to this City Edition matching in theme, to Vince’s jersey retirement ceremony, to the banner even matching all the brand details. It’s been extremely well executed and fun to follow.

More than just the jersey look itself blowing the rest of the NBA out of the water, the meaning behind it tops everyone as well. These City Edition jerseys were created to celebrate the geographical origins of these franchises, but thanks to some modern day design trends and the fact that most of these jerseys are probably being designed and approved by suited up white men (sorry, not sorry) — most of them fall flat. Toronto has been victim to that as well, with the regurgitation of the same black and gold OVO style jersey for years.

What this new edition accomplishes is a sense of pride for our franchise and for our city. Vince Carter’s legacy put Toronto on the map as a basketball city. It ushered in a new era of Toronto-grown NBA stars. The Raptor design itself was an instant classic, and 30 years later people are still in awe of it — that’s impact.

It just so happens that vintage 90’s inspired style is huge right now too, something the Raptors surely thought about when approaching design choices for this anniversary.

The big question — will it last? Is this all just a show for the celebrations, or will the Purple Movement extend into future seasons. Clearly the reaction to these jerseys, the banner design, and all the retro throwbacks is a sign that fans love the purple. It would be nice if the team tapped into their roots beyond this season to bring some history into the present, especially with a new and young team trying to make their own impact on the franchise’s legacy.

Time will tell, but for now, let’s celebrate having the coolest threads in the league once more. Sorry, every other team, there’s no coming close to this level of epic.

Toronto Raptors

What do you think of the Toronto Raptors’ City Edition Jerseys? Let us know!