Lowry makes it official that he's retiring as a Raptor

Jul 07, 2026 - 14:35

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Lowry makes it official that he's retiring as a Raptor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Kyle Lowry, the point guard who finally put Toronto on the NBA map is officially calling it a career. He’s signing a one-day contract to retire exactly where he belongs: as a Toronto Raptor.

There's a strong case that Lowry is the greatest Raptor ever. Over nine seasons in Toronto, he put up 17.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds across 601 regular-season games, earned six straight All-Star nods, and made the All-NBA Third Team in the 2015–16 season. He is the franchise's all-time leader in three-pointers, assists, and steals.

But his signature moment came in 2019, when Lowry anchored the legendary team that beat the Golden State Warriors for the franchise's first title. In the decisive Game 6, he famously exploded for the Raptors' first 11 points in the opening 2 minutes and 12 seconds, eventually wrapping up a massive 15-point first quarter that paved the way to the championship.

Now, 20 seasons after he entered the league, Lowry is done. He spent his final two years in his hometown of Philadelphia after joining the Sixers off the buyout market in 2024, stepping into a veteran role to mentor Tyrese Maxey and logging just 14 games this past season before stepping away.

But true to his word, he’s signing a ceremonial one-day contract to close the book as a Raptor. The news dropped on July 7, a perfect nod to his iconic No. 7 jersey.

Lowry shared the news himself in a deeply personal retrospective video on his social channels. He walked fans through the numbers that shaped his life: the four-minute walks to the park with his brother Lonnie, the long bus rides his mother and grandmother took to get to work, the No. 1 jersey he wore under Jay Wright at Villanova, and the 24th draft pick that originally sent him to Memphis.

#7 FOREVER pic.twitter.com/4Cxpr5jSO6
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 7, 2026

Everything changed when he got to Toronto. "This was home," Lowry said, remembering how 20,000 screaming fans during a playoff series against Brooklyn made him realize the team was building something special.

He closed the farewell message simply: "Seven forever." The Raptors are expected to retire his jersey this upcoming season, making him alongside Vince Carter just the second player in franchise history to have his number hanging from the rafters at Scotiabank Arena.