Drake's 'epic troll' and #SaintNick: Raptors fans pay homage to historic playoff run
Raptors fans in Toronto continue to pay homage to the newest NBA champs after the team's historic win this week.
While the Raps mural on Queen Street West downtown received lots of attention through the playoffs, a tattoo shop in Etobicoke decided to take a slightly different tack.
At Bamboo Tattoo Studio on The Queensway, owner Todd Santos commissioned his friend and artist Paul Glyn-Williams to paint a tribute of his own inspired by the "most epic troll in sports history."
"I think the concept is pretty funny," said Glyn-Williams of the mural depicting Toronto-born rapper Drake wearing Dell Curry's number 30 Raptors jersey.
Curry, father of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, played for the Raptors from 1999-2002. Drake showed up to Game 1 of the NBA Finals sporting his jersey.
"When Drake came out with that jersey, it was probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen," Glyn-Williams said.
"They went to some pretty epic lengths to get that jersey and it was 100 per cent worth it," he continued, referencing the wild back story of how Drake managed to get his hands on a fairly obscure jersey in time for the game.
The mural, which shows Drake's watch set to 4:16 — an ode to Toronto's signature area code — took Glyn-Williams three nights to complete. He started after Game 5, when the Raps lost by a single point to the Warriors.
It's adorned with the words, "If you're reading this the Raptors made history."
Glyn-Williams says he and Santos wanted a way to show their love of the team.
"This city is on fire, we deserve all of the accolades and the fun and being able to express ourselves," he said.
For his part, Santos is offering free tattoos to all Raptors and Drake.
Meanwhile, in downtown Toronto at the corner of Wellington and John streets, devout fans set up a shrine to coach Nick Nurse.
"Saint Nick" reads a gold plaque beneath a photo of Nurse with a halo.
Even the most famous of Raptors fans are getting some love from the city. At the corner of Wellington Street and Blue Jays Way a utility box has been adorned with Nav Bhatia, otherwise known as Superfan.
Bhatia hasn't missed a home game since the team joined the NBA in 1994 and has become an unofficial ambassador for the Raptors.
