Kyle Lowry delivered on his final promise as a player: He long vowed to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors so he could retire as a member of that franchise.
And on Tuesday, he made it happen.
Lowry — one of 12 players in NBA history to play 20 seasons in the league — announced on social media that he is signing with the Raptors and will retire, ending his career with the team that he helped lead to the 2019 NBA championship and in the city that he considers
home.
It's a ceremonial one-day contract, and Lowry confirmed that plan before a scheduled news conference in Toronto later Tuesday. The date of the announcement — July 7, or 7/7 — is a clear nod to the No. 7 jersey he wore with the Raptors.
“Thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, the staff, the media and especially the fans,” Lowry said. “It's all about you. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada. And as I always told y'all, it's officially happening. I'm retiring as a Toronto Raptor — 20 years and one day."
Tributes immediately starting pouring in after Lowry posted the video, many paying homage to the player whom Toronto fans call the GROAT — the Greatest Raptor of All-Time.
The 40-year-old Lowry is a Philadelphia native who played in college for Villanova before entering the NBA in 2006. For now, he's one of only two point guards to play 20 seasons — Chris Paul is the other, and Mike Conley Jr. will join that list this season.
Lowry ended his playing career in his actual hometown, spending this past season with the 76ers and appearing in 14 games. He formally called it a career in the city that he considers home, Toronto, the place where he became both an All-Star and a champion.
Lowry is a six-time All-Star, with all of those appearances coming during his stint in Toronto. He won an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, was an All-NBA selection in 2015-16 and had a new job even before his playing days ended; he was announced last year as an analyst for Prime Video.
Lowry was the No. 24 pick in the 2006 NBA draft by Memphis. He also played for Houston and Miami, along with the 76ers and Raptors. He averaged 13.8 points and six assists per game, and his 2,209 made 3-pointers ranks 14th in NBA history.
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