Kyle Lowry kept his word. The veteran NBA point guard had long promised that when his playing days were over, he would return to the Toronto Raptors to hang up his jersey — and on Tuesday, that promise became reality.
Lowry announced via social media that he has signed with the Raptors and will officially retire, closing out a storied career with the franchise he helped guide to the 2019 NBA title. The signing is a ceremonial one-day deal, and Lowry confirmed the arrangement ahead of a scheduled news conference in Toronto later that day.
The timing of the announcement was no coincidence. The date — July 7, written as 7/7 — was a clear tribute to the No. 7 jersey Lowry wore throughout his time in Toronto.
“Thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, the staff, the media and especially the fans,” Lowry said in his announcement. “It’s all about you. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada. And as I always told y’all, it’s officially happening. I’m retiring as a Toronto Raptor — 20 years and one day.”
The tribute messages came flooding in almost immediately. Toronto fans have long referred to Lowry as the GROAT — the Greatest Raptor of All-Time — and that sentiment was on full display following his announcement.
At 40 years old, Lowry is a native of Philadelphia who played college basketball at Villanova before being selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by Memphis. He is one of just two point guards in NBA history to play 20 seasons, alongside Chris Paul. Mike Conley Jr. is expected to join that exclusive group during the upcoming season.
Lowry wrapped up his final playing season with the 76ers, appearing in 14 games. But it was in Toronto where he truly made his mark — becoming a six-time All-Star, earning an All-NBA selection in the 2015-16 season, and winning an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Over the course of his career, Lowry also suited up for Houston and Miami in addition to Memphis, Toronto, and Philadelphia. He averaged 13.8 points and six assists per game, and his 2,209 career three-pointers rank 14th in NBA history.
Even before his retirement became official, Lowry had already lined up his next chapter. He was announced last year as an analyst for Prime Video.
