1. Tracy McGrady — Toronto Raptors
On the first day of NBA jersey advent calendar Christmas, your true love (FanSided) brings to you (you) a jersey that represents exactly what this project is going for.
Tracy McGrady was a fantastic player whose career didn’t quite reach the heights it could have due to some unfortunate injuries. But boy did he ever have a stretch of seasons where he was one of the top players in the league, year in and year out, in his days as a member of the Magic and Rockets.
The fact that his early years with the Raptors weren’t as successful add to the mystique of this pick. There’s just something cool about player jerseys from a team other than the one they’re most closely associated with. Somebody wearing a Patrick Ewing Sonics jersey is somebody you want to get to know.
The look of the jersey itself is a very of-its-time slice of NBA aesthetics. Not all of the “cartoon mascot” style logos were hits, but the basketball dribbling Raptor was king of this outlier-style era. The purple and red color scheme is also unique and adds a palette you won’t find with many other jersey options.
The random, multi-color lightning-shaped pin stripes and arched name box with a crown on top (that’s the only way to describe what’s above the name on the back of these jerseys) add the finishing touches that make this the choice for the first day of December.
Honorable Mention: Penny Hardaway (Orlando Magic), Manute Bol (Golden State Warriors), Chris Bosh (Miami Heat)