TORONTO – Kyle Lowry is retiring after a 20-year NBA career that included nine seasons with the Toronto Raptors, six all-star selections and the franchise’s first NBA championship.
Here is a look at some of the defining moments from Lowry’s Raptors career.
July 2012: The Raptors acquired Lowry from Houston in a trade that sent Gary Forbes and a protected future first-round draft pick the other way. Then-general manager Bryan Colangelo described him as bringing “toughness, grit and playmaking” to Toronto.
May 4, 2014: He scored a game-high 28 points in Game 7 of Toronto’s first-round series against Brooklyn, but Paul Pierce blocked his buzzer-beating attempt in a 104-103 loss. The image of Lowry lying on the Air Canada Centre court became one of the defining moments of his Raptors career.
Feb. 26, 2016: A career-high 43 points, including the late winner over Matthew Dellavedova, lifted Toronto to a 99-97 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
May 15, 2016: Lowry scored 35 points and flirted with a triple-double in Game 7 against the Miami Heat, carrying the Raptors to their first Eastern Conference final.
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
Jan. 17, 2019: He recorded his 5,000th career assist in a 111-109 win over Phoenix, finding Serge Ibaka on a pick-and-roll for a dunk.
June 13, 2019: He helped Toronto clinch its first NBA championship in Game 6 at Golden State, scoring the Raptors’ first 11 points and finishing with 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
Jan. 28, 2020: Lowry passed Jose Calderon to become the Raptors’ all-time leader in assists in a 130-114 win over Atlanta.
Sept. 9, 2020: Playing 53 minutes in Game 6 of Toronto’s second-round playoff series against Boston. He scored a game-high 33 points with eight rebounds and six assists in a 125-122 double-overtime win.
Jan. 27, 2021: He became the third player to reach 10,000 points as a Raptor, joining DeMar DeRozan and Chris Bosh.
May 9, 2021: Acadia University awarded Lowry an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree, citing his basketball achievements and charitable work.
Aug. 2, 2021: He announced on social media he was headed to the Miami Heat, ending a nine-season run in Toronto that included seven straight playoff appearances and the 2019 NBA title.
Aug. 6, 2021: The Raptors completed a sign-and-trade sending Lowry to Miami for Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa. He left as Toronto’s all-time leader in assists, steals, three-pointers and triple-doubles.
April 3, 2022: Returning to Scotiabank Arena with the Heat, Lowry received a pre-game video tribute and standing ovation before leading Miami to a 114-109 win with 16 points and 10 assists.
Jan. 12, 2026: Returning to Toronto with the 76ers, Lowry confirmed he still planned to retire as a Raptor on a one-day contract, then made his final playing appearance in the city. He played the last two minutes of Philadelphia’s 115-102 win as fans chanted “We want Lowry!”
July 7, 2026: Lowry signs a one-day contract to retire as a Raptor.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press