A new “pick 3” game has emerged — and it involves the Raptors’ logo

We’ve had a lot more Raptors jerseys and logos in Toronto than you’d think. That’s what happens when a team passes the quarter century mark and moves from the 90s, to the 00s, and into its third decade of existence. The Raptors began as an NBA team in 1995, and this offseason (should it ever officially start) would be their 26th. In honour of that, and because we’re looking for things to do to fill the time, we’ve put together a little Raptors game with logos in which we’d like you to partake.

OK, so what’s the game? As you’ve no doubt seen on social media over the past few months, various grids have been put together showing six to nine (or more) items and a command: only three can be selected. The items are not important, what’s significant here is the spirit of choice.

For today’s adventure, we turn to our guy Sully Akbari — Raptors fan, writer, and graphic-maker extraordinaire — for help. He’s put together a 3x3 grid with Raptors logos and helpfully attached the question involved at the top.

Take a look at his work, consider the spirit of this game, and then decide: which three would you pick?

Now for my money, the choices here are obvious. Allow me to walk you through my thinking.

First, Number 3 must be selected because it’s the logo of a champion. To not have it as one of your picks is tantamount to a betrayal of that golden Raptors spirit. They won it all in 2019 and that was the team’s logo. Toronto will always remember all of that.

Second, I have to go with Number 6 because I just really enjoy everything going on with this crest. I love the purple triangles across the top, I love the dinosaur bursting out of his shoes (I once, as a kid, tried to build him out of Lego; it didn’t work), and I love how all the elements tie together in one unique symbol. That settles it, Number 6 makes the cut.

Finally, we court controversy. While I understand including Number 1 or 4 because of their stylistic proximity to Number 6, I’m going to go way off board. I’m selecting Number 9 because, for whatever reason, I just enjoy the random aggression of that logo as a symbol for the team. In that particular logo, the famous Raptor looks almost like a dog struggling to tear into a ball. It’s an age-old struggle many of us have likely seen happen in real life; and its small way, it is never not entertaining. The Raptors were once like that dog, forever struggling to do the impossible. In that, perhaps I just have a nostalgic attachment to that notion.

Or perhaps I’ve been inside too long.

Nevertheless, let loose with your picks in the comments and on Twitter. Let’s have some fun!