Kyle Lowry gets the Raptors honor only Vince Carter has received

Kyle Lowry gets the Raptors honor only Vince Carter has received originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Kyle Lowry helped deliver the greatest moment in Toronto Raptors history. Now, his place in the franchise’s history will become permanent.

The Raptors announced Thursday that Lowry’s No. 7 jersey will be retired following Toronto’s Jan. 10 game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena. Lowry will become only the second player in franchise history to receive the honor, joining Vince Carter, whose No. 15 was raised to the rafters in November 2024.

The opponent adds another layer of significance to the celebration. Lowry is a Philadelphia native and spent the final two-plus seasons of his NBA career with the 76ers.

Lowry officially closed his 20-year career earlier this summer. The 40-year-old signed a ceremonial one-day contract with Toronto on July 7, allowing him to retire with the organization where he spent the most successful years of his career.

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years,” Lowry said in a statement. “I always said that Toronto is home, and that I’d retire a Raptor, and to see my No. 7 go up in that building is going to mean everything to me.”

Lowry’s nine seasons in Toronto transformed him from a productive point guard into one of the most important players in franchise history.

He earned six consecutive All-Star selections as a Raptor and became a centerpiece of the team that captured the 2019 NBA championship, the first title in franchise history.

Lowry also established himself as one of the NBA’s most productive guards during his lengthy career. He finished with averages of 13.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds across 1,187 regular-season games.

His ability from beyond the arc also placed him among the league’s most prolific shooters. Lowry retired with 2,209 made 3-pointers, ranking 14th in NBA history.

Lowry also played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat before finishing his career in Philadelphia.

But Toronto became home.

On Jan. 10, the Raptors will make sure No. 7 always remains part of it.

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