Gradey Dick on Thursday accomplished something the Wicked Witch never could: He stole Dorothy's ruby slippers (in spirit).
And just for good measure, his show-stealing suit even matched the colors of his new team up north.
The 6-6, 204-pound NBA draft prospect out of Kansas capitalized on a key similarity between himself and the "Wizard of Oz" heroine ahead of Thursday's opening round, donning an inspired ruby slipper-themed jacket and pair of shoes. (Dorothy, like Dick, is from the state of Kansas).
"So I'm from Kansas," Dick said while reviewing his fit. "Dorothy has her little slippers, I've got my Dorothy suit."
After being taken with the 13th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors, Dick was quick to joke to ESPN's Monica McNutt that he knew it all along.
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Here's the look Dick is rocking in the NBA draft green room at the Barclays Center:
Gradey Dick and Dorothy… two Kansas natives!#NBADraft presented by State Farm
— NBA (@NBA) June 22, 2023
⏰ 8 PM ET on ABC/ESPN pic.twitter.com/XU0PFMb0iR
The jacket isn't the only notable part of Dick's look, even if it is, by far, the most noticeable. He also showed the bottom of his shoes, colored red in homage to Dorothy's slippers. It's certainly an iconic choice for any Kansas native and, if his intent was to become a storyline ahead of the draft, he succeeded.
There's only one guarantee for Dick, regardless of where he's taken: He's not in Kansas anymore.
