Toronto turned an entire weekend into a tribute to Kyle Lowry, the Raptors legend whose No. 7 jersey will be retired at Scotiabank Arena on Jan. 10, 2027. The celebration began Friday, Sept. 18 with the KLOW Invitational, a charity golf tournament hosted by the Raptors and the MLSE Foundation that reunited Lowry with former teammates including DeMar DeRozan, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. “It warms my heart,” Lowry said of the turnout, according to TSN’s coverage of the event.
The following night, the extended Raptors family gathered for A Night For Seven, a gala also benefiting the MLSE Foundation, before Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow presented Lowry with the Key to the City during Kyle’s Block Party at Maple Leaf Square on Saturday, Sept. 19, according to Streets of Toronto and CP24. “Kyle Lowry gave Toronto more than unforgettable moments on the court, he gave our city his heart,” Chow said. “His leadership, determination and generosity reflect the very best of Toronto.”
The free block party, staged at the Jurassic Park fan zone outside Scotiabank Arena, drew a long list of Raptors past and present, including Danny Green, C.J. Miles, Amir Johnson, Terrence Ross, Chuck Hayes, Kevin Love, Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, along with head coach Darko Rajaković and general manager Bobby Webster, per Streets of Toronto.
The weekend served as a preview of the main event. The Raptors announced Lowry’s jersey retirement will take place Jan. 10, 2027 against the Philadelphia 76ers, part of a three-game “GROAT Nights” celebration that also includes a collectible T-shirt giveaway against Minnesota on Jan. 7 and a bobblehead night against Utah on Jan. 8, according to NBA.com. Lowry will become just the second Raptor to have his number retired, joining Vince Carter, whose No. 15 went up in 2024.
“I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years,” Lowry said in the Raptors’ announcement. “I always said that Toronto is home, and that I’d retire a Raptor, and to see my No. 7 go up in that building is going to mean everything to me.”
Over nine seasons in Toronto, Lowry averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, earned six consecutive All-Star selections from 2014-15 through 2019-20, and holds franchise records for assists (4,277), three-pointers made (1,518) and steals (873), according to NBA.com. He anchored the Raptors’ run to their first NBA championship in 2019 and is widely regarded as the Greatest Raptor of All Time, a title fans and the team have shortened to GROAT.
