Kyle Lowry's number 7 jersey is coming down. The Raptors will retire it on January 10 after they play the 76ers, making Lowry just the second player in franchise history to receive that honor. Vince Carter holds the other retired number for Toronto.
Lowry spent nine seasons with the Raptors and defined the franchise during its rise from afterthought to champion. He was the floor general on the 2019 title team, the steady voice that kept things grounded when the chaos of the playoffs threatened to overwhelm younger, more talented rosters. His assist numbers, his leadership, his willingness to accept whatever role the team needed in any given season. Those things stuck.
He's not the flashiest player Toronto ever had. But he's arguably the most important one. Lowry arrived when the Raptors were going nowhere and left them as a Finals contender. That's a retirement-caliber resume in this league.