His designs are themselves parodies of Golden State's "The City" jerseys. McCarthy released his, with Rip City and the Steel Bridge in place of the Golden Gate Bridge, in 2014. Among the Instagram accounts to like it back then: Portland Gear.
McCarthy drew attention to the shirts' similarities May 12 on Twitter—where outrage against Portland Gear went viral.
McCarthy was scathing toward Portland Gear founder Marcus Harvey. He points to two other designs—not parodies—that later appeared reflected on Portland Gear shirts.
"If he wants to say he forgot about it, whatever, I can't say if he did or did not," says the 34-year-old McCarthy, who works under the name Evanem and won WW's 2016 Reader Poll for Best Visual Artist.
Harvey, 29, denies he stole the idea and says the Rain City jerseys were a product of his "messing around with designs" in his office on the Saturday before Game 7.
"Then it turns out [McCarthy] had made this shirt four years ago," Harvey says. "Everyone says I ripped him off, and it's just blown way out of proportion. People don't understand the origins of that artwork," which originated with the Warriors in 1966. He says the other similar designs were the results of coincidence or confusion.
Harvey says he's not bothered by the ripoff allegations, but has seen accusations that he and the company are outsiders preying on the last dregs of Portland cool. He was born in Portland, grew up in Hillsboro and went to the University of Oregon.
