Raptors fans are convinced headband fuelling Gary Trent Jr.'s hot streak
Last week, Gary Trent Jr. donned a headband for the first time as a member of the Toronto Raptors.
Facing his old teammates in the Portland Trailblazers on January 23, Trent Jr. put up a mediocre shooting night, going 4-15 from the field while putting up 13 points.
It’s not the worst game you’ll ever see, but far from a memorable performance. The Raptors fell 114-105 to Portland in a game where they scored just 34 points in the first half.
But then something changed. Trent opted to keep the headband on for his next game, and so far, the following three after that.
After hitting 30 points just once in his previous 35 games this season, Trent has scored 32, 32, 33, and 31 points over his last four contests.
It’s probably a coincidence. But “headband Gary” is quickly on one of the best stretches a Raptors player has played, well, ever.
He’s just the fifth player in franchise history to score 30+ points in four straight games and is one off the franchise record of five consecutive 30 point games set by Demar DeRozan in 2016.
To put it into perspective, he’d hit 30 points just three times in his career prior to this season.
And you can bet that Raptors fans have been noticing the connection between Trent’s look and his performance:
Headband Gary is on š„š„š„š https://t.co/hhftBZPbqr
— Ryan (@RyanJHTurvey) February 1, 2022
Gary Trent Jr. is my favourite Raptor to rock a headband since… pic.twitter.com/hIXrviLrr6
— Ben Carlos (@BenJCarlos) January 30, 2022
HEADBAND GARY TRENT JR IS A REAL THING pic.twitter.com/MNpdejv9zc
— Flynn Stan (@WaffleHater22) February 1, 2022
Headband Gary out here looking like Allen Iverson #WeTheNorth
— Prime Ribš„© (@Prime_RibMans) February 1, 2022
Headband Gary a menace to the league
— Andrew (@96sveryown_) February 1, 2022
Headband Gary is top 5 all time
— txbii š¦ (@TorontoDame) February 1, 2022
Connecting players’ hot streak to an accessory is no new thing for NBA fans to do. There’s, of course, LeBron James’ infamous black facemask during his Miami Heat tenure, or Carmelo Anthony, who was better known as “Hoodie Melo” for his summer workout look.
But asked last night about whether he had any superstitions related to his headband, Trent didn’t seem to be buying it.
“I work on my craft my whole life,” Trent said. “No matter how I go on the floor, no matter how I look. I go out there to play hard for my teammates. And try to win as many basketball games as I can. Regarding my hair, it is clean. But you know, we’re going to we’re going out there to win.”
Asked Gary Trent Jr. whether he had any superstitions related wearing his headband during his hot streak:
"I work on my craft no matter how I go on the floor, no matter how I look… regarding my hair… it is clean, but we're going out there to win." pic.twitter.com/M8FRCl9Q23— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) February 1, 2022
Trent and the Raptors face off against Miami tonight at home, their second of four games in five nights. No word on whether Trent will be wearing a headband, but it’ll be hard to imagine him taking it off at this point.
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