Raptors Doing Right by Kyle Lowry with Epic Jersey Retirement

Toronto Raptors legend Kyle Lowry will see his No. 7 jersey hanging in the rafters of the Scotiabank Arena forever.

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry warms up prior to the game against the Indiana Pacers. | USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors are giving Kyle Lowry a sense of immortality as they retire his No. 7 jersey on January 10 when the Raptors host the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena.

The timing will give Lowry the chance to have his jersey retired against his hometown team, who he played with for the final two seasons of his career. It will also allow his former head coach, Nick Nurse, to be in attendance for the grand moment.

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years. 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 said in a press release.

“We built something special here — my teammates, the organization, the city and the fans, and all of Canada. We became champions together, and to be able to share this night with all of them, and with my family, is going to mean a lot to me.”

Raptors Going All Out for Kyle Lowry's Retirement Ceremony

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans. | USA TODAY Sports

The festivities begin as part of a long homestand for the Raptors in early January. On Jan. 7 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, fans will have a chance to take home a collectible T-shirt. The following night against the Utah Jazz, fans will receive the limited edition Kyle Lowry bobblehead.

This all leads up to the main event on Jan 10, when the Raptors retire Lowry's No. 7 during a postgame ceremony.

This is a big deal for the Raptors, who have only retired one jersey number throughout their entire history. Vince Carter's No. 15 was retired on Nov. 2, 2024, and now he's due for some company.

Lowry holds the franchise record for assists (4,277) and steals, and is second on the all-time games played list behind his good friend and former teammate DeMar DeRozan, who played in Toronto from 2009-18.

Laying out the red carpet for Lowry is the right move for the Raptors, and the team is treating this like a once-in-a-lifetime moment because that's exactly what this is. Lowry deserves to be celebrated for all of his achievements that he's had in a Raptors uniform, and his legacy will always be remembered in the history of the franchise.

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