The Toronto Raptors will retire Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 jersey on January 10, the franchise announced this week, with a post-game ceremony at Scotiabank Arena after they host the Philadelphia 76ers.
Lowry will become just the second Raptor to have his number raised to the rafters, joining Vince Carter. Two players, two eras, one city.
A Career Worth Celebrating
Nine seasons in Toronto (2012-2021). Six All-Star appearances. All-NBA Third Team honors in 2016. And in 2019, the championship – the only one in franchise history. Lowry was the engine behind all of it: relentless defensively, ferocious in crunch time, and the kind of leader who dragged teammates to a higher level simply by showing up every night.
He officially retired on July 7, signing a one-day contract to close a 20-year NBA career as a Raptor. Six All-Star nods in total, one championship ring, one city’s worth of appreciation.
The Setting Is Right
The ceremony happens after Toronto faces the 76ers – Lowry’s last NBA stop as an active player, now home to LeBron James. That adds a layer of narrative weight to what will already be an emotional evening in Scotiabank Arena.
Fans at the January 7 game vs. the Timberwolves get a commemorative T-shirt; those at January 8 vs. the Jazz receive a limited-edition Lowry bobblehead. The main event, though, is January 10.
The Raptors have retired very few numbers. They don’t need to retire many – just the right ones.
Sources: NBA.com / Bleacher Report
