Aidan Lising knows the high highs and the low lows of being a Toronto Raptors fan — it’s been part of his identity for as long as he can remember. Now, his fandom and the creative way he expresses it are in the limelight.
Lising, who currently works as a freelance graphic designer, committed to drawing a new Raptors-inspired work after each game, putting the proverbial pen to paper to create art inspired by his favourite basketball team.
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“Each drawing can range from one to three hours, depending on the idea. I usually watch the games in full before I start sketching anything. The NBA can be so unpredictable on a given night, so I’d hate to jump the gun and start drawing a Raptors win only for us to lose at the final buzzer,” the 28-year-old says. “In terms of deciding who and what to draw — the player I draw depends on their impact on the game. Sure, player X could have a great night stats-wise, but if player Y hits the game-winning buzzer-beater, then I’d probably draw them. And in terms of how I draw them — it depends on what I’m feeling on a given night.”
About a quarter into the Raptors’ season, Lising says his die-hard devotion is what carried him through the tough rebuild — and the team’s rise back to the top of the NBA inspired him to start drawing again.
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“It’s been a blast just seeing the team play good, beautiful basketball again,” Lising says. “Pair that with the behind-the-scenes stuff we see from the Raptors’ social media team, and all the media reporting on all the good vibes in the locker room — it’s just so much fun!”
His favourite current Raptor is Scottie Barnes, but his all-time favourite player, Kyle Lowry, now wears a Philadelphia 76ers jersey. And Lising isn’t above showing Lowry, who helped bring a championship to Toronto in 2019, some love.
“We play the Philadelphia 76ers again in January, so if he has a crazy game and they win, I just might have to draw him.”
