Toronto Raptors Rookie Gradey Dick on Getting to Know Drake and That Draft Night Suit

Photographs: Getty Images; Collage: Gabe Conte

Before he even walked to the podium this past summer to shake commissioner Adam Silver’s hand as a first-round pick of the Toronto Raptors, Kansas Jayhawks star Gradey Dick had already become the talk of NBA circles: hours earlier, he showed up for draft night in a Wizard of Oz-inspired red bedazzled jacket which became the fashion statement of the evening.

As he works towards translating his college success to the pros and become a regular in the Raptors rotation, Dick has remained in the spotlight, appearing recently in Drake’s son Adonis’s “My Man Freestyle” music video.

We caught up with Gradey Dick recently to talk about his fashion journey, the story behind the draft-night suit, how much Toronto slang he’s learned, and much more.

You get drafted by the only NBA team in Canada and you’ve already made a cameo in a music video with Drake and his son Adonis. What was that experience like?

When I met him for the first time, I was like, for a celebrity of his status to be so down to earth, it’s a relief to see in this day and age. You hear different stories about different people, so to be this big and to be meeting thousands of people every day and still be a good dude, it’s cool to see.

Is there even anything left on the Canadian bucket list for you?

I’m a big fisher. I’ve been fishing all my life. Me, my older brothers, my dad, and my grandparents used to go fishing in the creek in Attica, Kansas, all the time. So I’m trying to get some time to go ice fishing here.

What’s been the most fun part of being an NBA rookie so far?

Honestly, not having to go to school and not having to do homework everyday and just having this free schedule to yourself.

Was there a welcome to the NBA moment for you?

It’s just been an overall eye-opening experience. Our first road game was in Chicago. I walk in the arena, look up, and see all the banners. You see Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s jerseys in the rafters. It’s a dream come true.

Are visiting fans heckling about your last name?

Oh yeah. I’ve been hearing it since high school.

Do you think you’ve heard every heckle about your last name?

There’s always gonna be new stuff. But it’s fun. Especially when we were on the road in college, it really fueled my fire. It’s funny to me at the end of the day. I’ll just look over at my boys in the stands and my teammates on the bench and we’ll just start laughing.

What’s been the most Canadian thing you’ve had to get used to?

Probably the kilometers thing, and also figuring out when I can use American cash.

Let’s see if you know your Toronto slang. Do you know what a sweetermans is?

Sweetermans? I don’t know. A dude who wears a tracksuit? [Laughs]

It’s a guy who is smooth with the ladies.

Oh.

Are you a sweetermans?

Of course. I try to be.

How about if someone tells you to nize it?

Like “go get it?”

It’s telling someone to stop talking.

Oh [laughs].

I heard you’re a huge Mary J. Blige fan.

Yeah, my brothers handed me down everything. I remember just going through their iPods. It started with discovering Akon. I went on this nostalgic music trip and eventually discovered her music too.

Who would your top three artists at karaoke be?

I’m going with Rod Wave or Drake for rap. Of course Mary J. Blige for R&B. And I’ll throw in a little reggae. Probably Gyptian.

The Raptors social team asked you guys to start, bench, cut Rihanna, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift. You said you would start Rihanna.

Rihanna is number one for me right now. I like Taylor Swift’s older music. I haven’t really kept track of her new music. I really like “Love Story.” But all-time, I would probably go with Beyonce.

What’s the one album you can’t live without?

Man. Probably one of the Carters from Lil’ Wayne. Or Nostalgia from Rod Wave.

I’ve heard your older brothers used to hand you down a lot of their clothes. What were you taking from them growing up?

The first thing I can remember were the AND1 trash talk graphic tees that said “butter me up cause I’m on a roll” and stuff. That was cool. I would get some flannels, too, and some dressier clothes and wear those over a hoodie. Those were early days. They really helped me out.

When did fashion become a thing for you?

Towards the end of high school and as I was going to college. I started styling more things with baggy pants and really fell in love with it. It was comfortable and I loved how the pants just fell over my shoes. The aesthetic was cool and I felt good whenever I was in public.

What was your go-to fit on dates?

In high school, I would just throw a flannel over a hoodie with some sweatpants, unless we were going somewhere nicer. When I was in college I would throw on a crew neck with a chain.

And then of course you were the fashion story of draft night with your Wizard-of-Oz inspired suit. Did you consult friends and family before making the call on wearing that?

So a couple weeks in advance, the sizing on this other suit I was trying on was messed up. It was another color but in the same fabric and my mom wasn’t too fond of it. She’s my biggest critic so she’ll let me know when things are stupid. I showed her the final version and when she saw it she said, “That looks like you.” So she approved of the final product

Do you think you set expectations too high by introducing yourself to the NBA audience with that one-of-a-kind draft suit?

I don’t really care. It’s just clothes at the end of the day [laughs]. My mindset was that it was a one night thing so I might as well go crazy. I knew people would be like, “What’s he gonna wear next.” I’m gonna try to wear cool stuff but I’m not gonna wear anything for anyone else. It’s gotta be my personal taste.

Originally Appeared on GQ