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Lowry wraps up 20-year NBA career as a Raptors all-time great
Kyle Lowry. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Kyle Lowry wraps up 20-year NBA career as a Raptors all-time great

By Mike J. Asti  |  Last updated Jul 7, 2026 2:28 PM ET
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Once a Raptor, always a Raptor. That's how NBA veteran guard Kyle Lowry officially closed his career on Tuesday, signing a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Toronto Raptors. 

"I always said I would retire a Toronto Raptor, that was everything," said Lowry during a media conference to discuss his return to Toronto and retirement from the NBA. 

Kyle Lowry has a claim to being the greatest Raptor ever 

Lowry has a claim to being among the franchise's all-time greats due to spending nine of the best of his 20 seasons with the Raptors. From 2013-21, Lowry averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game and shot 42.5 percent from the field with Toronto. He made six All-Star teams and played a key role in helping the Raptors win the organization's first NBA championship. 

"The things that I've been able to do throughout my career, especially here. It's special," expressed a reflective Lowry. 

A Philadelphia native, Lowry figured out what it means to play for Canada's only NBA team after being traded to Toronto in July 2012.

"You're not just playing for Toronto; you're playing for Halifax, Calgary, B.C.; you're playing for a whole country."

Kyle Lowry played elsewhere but made his NBA name as a Raptor 

But Lowry did have to move on from Toronto following the 2020-21 season. He then ended his NBA journey with the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, playing sparingly in his final seasons. 

However, his basketball legacy will live forever in Toronto, so much so that his No. 7 jersey will be retired as part of a ceremony next season.  

Kyle Lowry put together a solid 20-year NBA career 

In 20 years and 1,187 NBA games throughout time spent with the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, the Raptors, Heat and 76ers, Lowry, a 2006 first-round pick, wraps up his playing career with cumulative averages of 13.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.2 boards with a 42.3 percent shooting clip and a 36.7 percent mark from three. 

For a franchise that's been home to Hall of Famers and prominent names like Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and even Lowry's former teammates DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard, who led the Raptors to the 2019 title and has since returned after a recent trade, Lowry's loyalty and consistent play make him the most cherished Raptor above the others. 

Mike J. Asti
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Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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