Kyle Lowry has fulfilled the last commitment he made as a player: for years, he said he would return to the Toronto Raptors to officially retire with the franchise.
On Tuesday, he followed through.
Lowry, one of just 12 players in NBA history to appear in 20 seasons, announced on social media that he is signing with Toronto and retiring, closing his career with the organization he helped guide to the 2019 NBA championship and in the city he has long called home.
The move is a ceremonial one-day contract, a plan Lowry confirmed ahead of a scheduled news conference in Toronto later Tuesday. The timing of the announcement — July 7, or 7/7 — was an unmistakable tribute to the No. 7 he wore during his Raptors career.
“Thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, the staff, the media and especially the fans,” Lowry said. “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 1 day. Seven forever. I love y’all. Peace.”
Messages of appreciation quickly followed Lowry’s video post, with many honoring the player Toronto supporters proudly call the GROAT — the greatest Raptor of all time.
“This was home,” Lowry said of Toronto. “Home is a feeling. It’s a comfort. It’s a place that you continue wanting to be there. Over and over again. It’s a place where you feel like you just belong.”
Lowry, 40, is a Philadelphia native who starred at Villanova before entering the NBA in 2006. At the moment, he is one of only two point guards to reach 20 seasons in the league, joining Chris Paul; Mike Conley Jr. is set to become part of that group this season.
Lowry ended his playing career in his actual hometown, spending this past season with the 76ers and appearing in 14 games. He formally called it a career in the city that he considers home, Toronto, the place where he became both an All-Star and a champion.
Lowry is a six-time All-Star, with all of those appearances coming during his nine years in Toronto. He won an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, was an All-NBA selection in 2015-16 and had a new job even before his playing days ended; he was announced last year as an analyst for Prime Video.
Lowry was the No. 24 pick in the 2006 NBA draft by Memphis. He also played for Houston and Miami, along with the 76ers and Raptors. He averaged 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists over 1,187 regular-season games, and his 2,209 made 3-pointers ranks 14th in NBA history.
Lowry reached the playoffs in 12 of those 20 seasons, averaging 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists in postseason play.
