NBA Star Makes Strong Statement About Kawhi Leonard's Raptors Run

The Toronto Raptors retired the first jersey in the franchise’s history this season, putting Vince Carter’s No. 15 in the rafters.

Who should be next?

Philadelphia 76ers’ nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George recently addressed the topic on ‘Podcast P.’

George stated a case for three players, including one of his former teammates and a current one as well.

For starters, George is sure that DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry deserve the honors.

For years, the two NBA veterans have seen plenty of regular-season success on the Raptors. DeRozan, a former Top-10 pick for the Raptors, appeared in five playoff runs for Toronto.

While DeRozan’s best years as a postseason performer came during his time in Toronto, the Raptors never won the championship under the leadership of the veteran forward.

Still, George is convinced that DeRozan did enough to get his jersey retired.

Paul George believes Kawhi Leonard, DeMar DeRozan, and Kyle Lowry should all get their jersey numbers retired by the Toronto Raptors.

“DeMar and Kyle gotta go up there together.”

“The city of Toronto, they should put Kawhi up there, just because, he won a championship for… pic.twitter.com/6SguKhS5zh
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) January 14, 2025

“You gotta think about what DeMar did in Toronto,” George said.

In nine seasons, DeRozan appeared in nearly 700 games. He averaged 20 points, four rebounds, and three assists during that stretch. DeRozan was a three-time All-Star as a Raptor.

As far as Lowry goes, George believes longevity is the key to his case.

“Kyle’s longevity—he deserves it,” said George

Being in the league since 2006, Lowry had runs with multiple teams before landing in Toronto. After landing on the Raptors in 2012, Lowry played there through the 2020-2021 season.

The veteran guard averaged 18 points, seven assists, and five rebounds across nine seasons. Lowry was a six-time All-Star for the Raptors and played a part in the first franchise NBA Finals win.

George’s third argument came for his former Los Angeles Clippers teammate, Kawhi Leonard. Although Leonard spent just one season on the Raptors, George believes there was enough impact in play to consider Leonard a franchise legend.

Paul George and Kawhi Leonar — Feb 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and forward Paul George (13) look on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

“Kawhi, I know it’s one season, but the city of Toronto, they should put Kawhi up there. He won a championship for them,” George explained.

You won’t find anybody who won’t argue that Leonard held the most value on the Raptors’ roster during their championship run in 2018-2019.

During the regular season, Leonard averaged 27 points and seven rebounds while shooting 37 percent from three.

In the playoffs, Leonard posted averages of 31 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. He was considered the 2019 NBA Finals MVP.

One season might not be enough to get Leonard’s jersey retired up North, but George’s sentiment isn’t off-base. It could be something the organization considers years from now.

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