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People remember different players for different reasons. Some, for highlight reel dunks that seemed inhuman, some for ‘The Shot,’ that lead to a very big trophy. For others, for Kyle Lowry in particular, it was for a relentless work ethic, for ending up on his rear-end after taking yet another charge, dropping dimes, or making another big play that changed a game and brought the Toronto Raptors another win. That’s Kyle Lowry. A working class hero who put the team, the win, before everything else.
Now, the greatest player in Toronto Raptors history is coming home.
Kyle Lowry announced Tuesday that he will retire as a member of the Toronto Raptors, signing a ceremonial one-day contract to put the final notch on an incredible 20-year NBA career with the franchise where his career took off, where he became a champion as well as a beloved icon and the heart of a generation of basketball fans.
Lowry made the announcement as part of a heartfelt video tribute looking back on the people, places and moments that shaped his career. And, it’s only the start of a day of emotions and looking back on his career as his retirement ceremony gets underway.
One thing we all know and love about Lowry is that stats didn’t matter. Rings did. Winning did. And his teammates and city did.
At a news conference Tuesday, Raptors general manager Bobby Webster also announced that Lowry’s No. 7 jersey will be retired during the 2026-27 NBA season, making him one of the few players in franchise history to receive the honour.
For Lowry, Toronto was more than just another stop in his NBA journey.
Reflecting on his first playoff run with the Raptors, he recalled the energy inside Scotiabank Arena and the city that embraced him.
“That’s how I knew something was special going on here. That’s how I knew… this was home,” he said, in the video. “Home is a feeling, it’s a comfort, it’s a place that you continue wanting to be there over and over again.”
Lowry spent nine seasons with the Raptors from 2012 to 2021, helping turn the team into an NBA powerhouse. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds across 601 regular-season games while becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in several categories.
His defining moment came in 2019 when he teamed up with Kawhi Leonard and a deep Raptors roster to deliver the first NBA championship in franchise history. Looking back on that unforgettable season, Lowry said the team had one goal, and one goal only.
“Every day we went to work like nothing else mattered,” Lowry said. “Every day, every practice, every shootaround… we knew what we were playing for. We were playing for the city of Toronto and the country of Canada.”
The championship sparked massive celebrations across the country, with Jurassic Park watch parties stretching far beyond Toronto and millions of Canadians rallying behind the team during its historic playoff run.
After leaving Toronto in 2021, Lowry spent time with the Miami Heat and most recently in Philadelphia for his hometown 76ers, but he had long said it was his desire to finish his career where he made the biggest impact.
He closed his farewell message with the words Raptors fans had been hoping to hear.
“Toronto, my home. Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada.”
And finally:
“I’m retiring as a Toronto Raptor. Twenty years and one day. Seven forever.”
With his No. 7 jersey set to hang in the rafters, Lowry’s legacy as the greatest Raptor of all time is complete. His impact extends well beyond the record books, remembered as the relentless leader who helped bring Canada’s first NBA championship home and, like Vince did before him, changed basketball in Toronto.
Thank you Kyle Lowry.
