All-Star guard Kyle Lowry spent nearly half of his 20-year NBA career with the Toronto Raptors. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA
Kyle Lowry, who helped lead the Toronto Raptors to their lone championship in 2019, will retire from the NBA after 20 seasons, he announced Tuesday.
Lowry signed a one-day contract with the Raptors to retire in Toronto, where he spent nine seasons. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in assists, steals, triple-doubles and 3-point shots.
Lowry ranks second in franchise history in games played, minutes and points, trailing only longtime teammate DeMar DeRozan.
“It’s hard work, grit, passion and, of course, a champion,” Lowry said in a video posted on Instagram. “The guy who was there, the guy who stuck through everything, believing it was supposed to be what it was supposed to be. It was supposed to happen and it did.”
Lowry, 40, entered the league as the No. 24 overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2006 NBA Draft. The former Villanova star joined the Houston Rockets in a 2009 trade. The Rockets traded Lowry to the Raptors in 2012. Lowry joined the Miami Heat in a 2024 trade. The Philadelphia native spent parts of the last three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Lowry thanked family, fans, media, former teammates, opponents and coaches and others for participation in his NBA journey.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play this game for two decades,” Lowry said. “All my stops; Memphis, Houston, Miami, Philly, of course Philly, all my love to Philly, and last, but not least, Toronto, my home.”
Lowry averaged 13.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game over 1,187 career appearances. He logged a career-best 22.8 points per game in 2016-17 for the Raptors. He was an All-Star every season from 2014-15 to 2019-20 in Toronto.
“I think everyone in this building, in this city, in this country, even myself, will remember Kyle for something different,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster told reporters Tuesday. “I think watching him play basketball stirred everybody’s heart.”
