Some moments in a person’s life call for a really great suit — an important job interview, a wedding and when they lead the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship, of course. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse knows a thing or two about the latter, and through his work with Moores Suit Drive, he’s making sure more people can confidently tackle the former.

“The Moores Suit Drive is an important event that gives people a chance to get dressed for a job interview and, hopefully, put a pep in their step, make them feel good and help them present their best selves,” Nurse said when we spoke at Moores’s flagship store. He was there to personally donate a handful of lightly used suits, including a few that were worn during Raptors playoff games. Talk about a lucky charm.

This is the Canadian suit mecca’s 10th year hosting the Moores Annual Suit Drive, a national cause that collects gently used men’s and women’s professional attire like suits, shirts, jackets, ties, belts and shoes that are then distributed to thousands of men and women in an effort to empower them to enter or re-enter the workforce and approach job interviews with confidence. Moores partners with more than 60 non-profit and recipient organizations nationwide to distribute the donations. Canadians can donate suits or other professional clothing items at all 126 Moores store locations across the country until July 31 and receive a 50 per cent off coupon in return.

Nurse, who coaches around 100 basketball games a year, says a great-fitting suit gives him an instant boost of self-esteem. “It gives me a little more ‘swagger,’” the Raptors coach shared with air quotes and a grin. “And sometimes I need the right blend of feeling really confident about my job while not overdoing it when I’m out on the court.”

Nurse, who has worn an array of suits courtside, from classic grey to royal blue brocade, has fun with his personal style. “I like a little bit of everything — I’ll go with double-breasted sometimes, I’ll go with three-piece sometimes, I’ll do different patterns sometimes. When you’re wearing a suit for that many different occasions a year, you need to mix it up a little bit,” Nurse shared while adjusting his pant leg, revealing a sliver of polka-dot cotton between his pant leg and shoes. “It’s fun to be able to do pretty much anything you want with the socks and get away with it,” he added. “The crazier the better.”

Nurse notes that personal style is something the Raptors players like to express as well. “They all have their own style, and it’s a chance for them to express that a bit even if they’re just getting off the bus and going into the arena locker room,” he said about Raptors players such as Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry, who have become known for their outfits worn before games, adding, “It’s good to show kids that caring about your outward appearance makes an impression on people, and having a polished look can certainly help with that first impression.”

It's not all show for Nurse who shared that some of the most special suits he wore during the Raptors playoffs had details only he knew about, including a suit with the Toronto skyline custom-stitched into its inner lining worn for Game 7 of the second-round Philadelphia series.

“I wore it because I knew this was a huge moment for the city,” Nurse said. “Nobody knew I was wearing it until right now, actually!”

For Game 6 of the NBA finals, Nurse wore a “five- or six-year-old” light grey suit he knew might get ruined if the Raptors sealed it — and it was just as well. The suit got drenched with Champagne as the team celebrated their first NBA championship win, something the coach fondly remembered as “well worth it,” noting that he’d gotten the light grey suit back from the dry cleaners the day before our interview. “You would never know it’s been through a Champagne shower!”

While that well-loved suit will remain in Nurse’s collection, a couple of suits worn for other Raps games did make it into his Moores Suit Drive donations. “We’ve all probably got some stuff in our closets we’re not using anymore, and if it’s gently used and in good shape we can help people that need it get a step forward,” Nurse said. “This is a great way to pay it forward.”

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