Toronto Raptors welcome Lowry ‘home’ for retirement announcement

“I played through anything. Hard work, I worked hard, I played hard, I did anything it took to win basketball games.”

The team enjoyed its most successful run with Lowry at point guard, making the playoffs for seven straight seasons and winning the NBA championship in 2018-19.

He averaged 13.8 points, six assists and 4.2 rebounds over 1,187 games with five teams. His most productive years were the nine seasons he played in Toronto, averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.

A six-time all-star with the Raptors, Lowry is the franchise’s all-time leader in assists, steals and three-pointers. He’s second in all-time games played and points, as well as fourth on the rebounds list.

“I think (Toronto’s) just one of those places that just shows it’s grit,” said Lowry. “It’s not the warmest place, but you guys still get up and go to work every single day.

“These people go to work every day in the cold weather, and it’s just about the determination of getting a job done.”

The 40-year-old announced the decision Tuesday in a video posted to Instagram, saying: “Toronto. My home.”

The Raptors simultaneously posted a photo of Lowry in a Toronto jersey with the words “Welcome Home Kyle” and announced the news conference.

General manager and executive vice-president Bobby Webster said Lowry’s No. 7 would be retired in a ceremony this upcoming season. Webster said for all of Lowry’s Hall of Fame-calibre stats, it was the way he played that people will remember him.

“I think watching him play basketball stirred everybody’s heart, and I think he played a brand of basketball that very few in the NBA have matched,” said Webster. “Every possession for him was life and death, every opposing player’s drive was a new chance to take a charge.

“I think every post-up attempt on him was destined to be a miss.”

Lowry left Toronto in a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat on Aug. 6, 2021, as the Raptors started to close the door on their championship era.

Before arriving in Toronto, Lowry split six seasons with Memphis and Houston. He finished his 20-year NBA career after spending parts of three seasons with his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.

When Lowry left Toronto in 2021, he said he intended to end his career as a Raptor.

“It’s no place like (any) other. There’s one team for the whole country, and to do what you do and what you can possibly do here, the fan base goes a long way,” said Lowry. “When you play for Canada’s team you are somebody all over the world, Canadians are special people and Toronto is a special city.”

Mayor Olivia Chow announced that Tuesday — the seventh day of the seventh month to fit with Lowry’s jersey number — would be Kyle Lowry Day in Toronto. The WNBA’s Toronto Tempo also announced that Lowry and his wife Ayahna Cornish-Lowry had invested in the team, become partial owners.

Vince Carter, the only other player to have his jersey retired by the Raptors, interrupted one of Lowry’s answers during the press conference with a video call to tell him he loved him.

When the Raptors originally announced the news conference it was unclear if it was for Lowry’s retirement or to make a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for Leonard official. L.A. gets all-star forward Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks in the proposed trade that has not yet been processed by the NBA.

An ESPN report on Monday said that Leonard had a new agent and was in negotiations with the Raptors on a contract extension as part of the trade.

Lowry was asked about the Leonard deal now that he can once again unabashedly cheer for Toronto.

“‘Whi is a special person, a special basketball player. I appreciate him coming (today). It just show his humility to be here for my moment and just to be here and support me. I appreciate that, ‘Whi,” said Lowry, pointing to his friend in the front row. “I think the moves Bobby is making, what he’s doing, they know what they’re going to do.

“They’re trying to win the championship. It starts with that guy right there.”

Larry Tanenbaum, a longtime part-owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, was at the conference a day after Rogers Communications announced it would be buying out his 25 per cent stake the parent company of the Raptors.

Tanenbaum will remain on the Raptors board of governors and act as NBA chairman until September. He is the majority owner of the Tempo, which is outside of MLSE’s umbrella, and an investor in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

“‘I’ve got my friends, my day ones here, and my guy, Larry,” said Lowry. “I’ve got a special place in my heart for Larry. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and my family, letting me know that the jersey would be retired and hanging in the rafters.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July. 7, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Toronto Raptors welcome Lowry ‘home’ for retirement announcement

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