The new-look Toronto Raptors have Drake as a spokesperson and will soon be hosting an All-Star Game. Rumors were swirling that the team was going to rebrand themselves with a new team name, a la the Pelicans. Now it appears as though the Raptors will remain the Raptors.
The List: Rejected new names for the Toronto Raptors
The new Drake-led Raptors are keeping their name. That’s probably for the best.
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Bill Hanstock is a writer, author and Emmy Award-winning producer. He began writing for SB Nation in 2011.
Leiweke admitted he wanted to change the team name from "Raptors" but was outvoted by the board. Had a name in mind, wouldn't say what it is
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 30, 2013
This is probably a good thing, because we never want the 90s to end. Also of note: when the expansion team first earned its name, “The T-Rex” finished third in the vote.
With all this in mind, Bill Hanstock and David Roth imagined some of these voted-down new names, many of which are in the 1990s vein. (The Toronto Vein just missed making the cut.)
1. Toronto Urge
2. Toronto Cleanliness
3. The Nutty Professors
4. Toronto Nothing Was The Sames
5. The Passive-Aggressive Drunk Texts
6. The “Rachel”
7. Manchester United
8. The Hypercolor
9. The Ultrasonics
10. The Toronto Thrust
11. The Toronto Rambling Thrillers That Bring Together Off-Kilter And Occasionally Comical Criminals In Unexpected Ways And I Suppose Could Be Said To Display A Tarantino Influence
12. The Whitney Project
