Toronto Raptors commemorate 30th anniversary with incredible gesture amid star-studded Paris Olympics

When the Toronto Raptors joined the NBA in 1995, they were an expansion team alongside the Vancouver Grizzlies. The two were the only NBA teams based in Canada. However, with the Grizzlies moving base to Memphis, the Raptors are currently the lone representative of Canada in the biggest basketball league in the world.

Toronto will celebrate its 30th season in the league in 2024-25. To honor the occasion, the team launched a special logo, which is likely to be used throughout the upcoming season. The special anniversary logo was dropped in between the Canada-Australia men’s basketball game in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Candians won 93-83 and are now 2-0 in Group A.

The 30th anniversary purple logo is iconic as it resonates with the legendary jerseys of the Toronto Raptors. The inaugural home jersey had a white font with a subtle purple trim in the sides. The most classic purple jersey though is the one made popular by the legendary Vince Carter.

This inaugural away jersey was purple in color with a red dinosaur splashed across in the front. While the Raptors have gone through several jersey designs in the recent past, nothing beats the iconic dino jerseys. They may not have been the most successful wearing them, but the design remains fresh in the minds of basketball fans across the globe.

How have Toronto Raptors fared in the 29 NBA seasons so far?

The Toronto Raptors haven’t been the most consistent franchise in the NBA but it does have one NBA title to show for its 29 seasons in the league. The Raptors won the championship in 2018-19 after ending the Golden State Warriors' juggernaut in six games in the finals. Toronto was led by Kawhi Leonard, who was crowned the Finals MVP.

In total, the Raptors have made the playoffs 13 times. Their best stretch came between 2013 and 2020 as they made the playoffs all eight years. Toronto had players such as DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Leonard in that span.

While the Raptors have failed to make the playoffs in the past two seasons, the future looks bright with the talented Scottie Barnes leading the charge for the young and upcoming squad.

The Toronto Raptors aren’t expected to be contenders in the upcoming season, but the purple and red franchise could spring a few surprises in the regular season as it adopts the iconic purple color once again.