Lowry Announces That He's Retiring From The Nba As A Raptor

Lowry announces that he's retiring from the NBA as a Raptor originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Kyle Lowry’s long road in the NBA is ending as a Raptor.

Lowry announced Tuesday morning (July 7) that he’s “officially retiring as a Toronto Raptor.” The team shared the news with the words “#7 FOREVER” and a video narrated by Lowry. 

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play this game for two decades,” Lowry said. “All my stops … Memphis, Houston, Miami, Philly — of course Philly, all my love to Philly — and last but not least, Toronto, my home. So thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, staff, the media and especially the fans. It’s all about you. I appreciate you.

“Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada. And as I always told y’all, it’s officially happening. I’m officially retiring as a Toronto Raptor. Twenty years and one day. Seven forever. I love y’all. Peace.”

SportsNet’s Michael Grange reported Lowry’s retirement last week and wrote, “The event on Tuesday is expected to set the stage for additional recognition of the so-called GROAT (the Greatest Raptor of All-Time) as the 2026-27 season unfolds, per sources, with a likely jersey retirement planned at Scotiabank Arena during the regular season, where Lowry’s No. 7 would join Vince Carter’s No. 15 as the only Raptors jersey hanging at the downtown stadium.” 

Lowry, 40, has built an excellent case to one day be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. After two years at Villanova, Lowry became a six-time All-Star, quintessential floor general and franchise legend with the Raptors. He helped Toronto earn its first NBA championship in 2019 and also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2016. 

Lowry was a member of his hometown Sixers for the final two-plus seasons of his career. He appeared in 72 games and averaged 4.7 points and 3.0 assists.

Though Lowry struggled to stay healthy and wasn’t a regular part of the rotation, he appreciated his chances to play. 

“It’s always fun to play basketball,” Lowry said after an April 1, 2025 game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “Listen, we’re privileged and we’re honored to play the game of basketball. I love this game at the highest level. It’s provided for me and my family, my friends with everything that I could ask for. So I wanted to try to go out there and play, and just have fun. 

“You don’t know how long this game is going to last for each individual, so just go out there and enjoy the process. Just enjoy being out there and in the game.”

Off the court, Lowry was impactful for the Sixers. He actively mentored young guards such as Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and often looked like an assistant coach during games. 

In Toronto basketball, No. 7 will always be Lowry’s.

“That (number) represents me,” Lowry said. “It represents my family. It represents everything I’ve gone through, the growth, the maturity, everything I’ve put into the game of basketball. It just represents Kyle Lowry.

“It’s hard work, grit, passion and, of course, a champion. The guy who was there, the guy who stuck through everything, believing it was supposed to be what it was supposed to be. It was supposed to happen and it did.”