Kawhi Leonard’s merchandising power in midseason form as he starts anew with Raptors

Every fan attending the Toronto Raptors home opener on Wednesday found a gift on their seat – a simple white giveaway tee emblazoned with the recognizable large, outstretched hand of Kawhi Leonard. The team’s ‘We The North’ mantra was stamped on his palm.

It was one of the many reminders, before Leonard and the Raptors took on the Chicago Bulls, of just who was making his long-awaited return to Toronto’s lineup: The two-time NBA champ and finals MVP whose unique, enormous hands have made him a defensive powerhouse. The man who helped Canada’s team to its only NBA title seven years ago.

The buzz about Leonard’s homecoming has been evident all over, notably on the merchandising front.

Fanatics, the official e-commerce partner of the NBA, confirmed that Leonard has been the top-selling NBA player in Canada since the start of September, accounting for 25 per cent of all player-specific sales during that time. That’s when the trade between the Raptors and Clippers became official, following a months-long delay due to an NBA salary cap investigation into the Clippers.

A spokesperson for Real Sports Apparel, the official team store and licensed merchandise retailer for MLSE’s Toronto teams, said it saw more than a 50 per cent increase in Raptors apparel sales compared to last year’s preseason. Leonard’s was their top-selling Raptors jersey in the preseason.

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“I had a [Scottie] Barnes one and now I’ve got the Kawhi one, kind of a magic duo there,” said Raptors fan Jesse Latford outside Scotiabank Arena, after travelling from Woodstock, Ont., for the opener and buying a Leonard jersey.

Sportchek, across the street from the arena, had a massive display right inside its doors for the Kawhi V collection, featuring Leonard’s fifth signature New Balance basketball shoe, just released Wednesday. Posters of the 6-foot-7 forward on the streets back home in California adorned a pair of basketball pop-a-shot displays, where young fans were firing balls in the hours before the game. Racks were freshly filled with additional items in the new Kawhi collection, including a blue tracksuit and something fans will remember – the Fun Guy T-shirt.

That shirt had been the most coveted item in Toronto back in 2019 after New Balance made it in homage to Leonard’s deadpan comment in his introductory Raptors press conference, declaring himself a fun guy, then showing off his signature quirky laugh. People had flocked to Toronto shops and lined up around corners to buy that limited edition shirt.

On-camera moments like his Fun Guy quip in the 2019 season went viral and morphed into internet memes, though Leonard remained largely offline back then. That’s different now. He’s showing more of himself in brand videos and promo clips on social media.

Leonard posted a video on his Instagram on the eve of opening night, a glossy-edited ode to Raptors fans. “They say the second time around isn’t as good as the first, but we’ll see,” he says over a montage of clips, old and new. “It wasn’t luck the first time. And I still know what it takes.”

Leonard’s last stint with the team and its run to the title spread Raptors fever across Canada, then brought an estimated 1 million people to downtown Toronto for a victory parade. He inspired murals on the sides of buildings. He had fans on pins and needles that summer as they waited to see if he’d re-sign with Toronto, before he ultimately left to join his hometown Los Angeles Clippers.

The Raptors have won just a single playoff series in the seven seasons since they hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy. Leonard’s return, now at age 35 in his 15th NBA season, puts Toronto’s young squad among the Eastern Conference contenders.

With the emotional home opener in the books, the Raptors will hit the road for two games next – against the Washington Wizards and Minnesota Timberwolves – before they return home on Oct. 28 for a pair of games against the Orlando Magic.