Longtime Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry reiterates that he will always be a Raptor at heart — and he still plans on retiring as one.
Loyalty can be a tricky notion in the NBA.
Some of the best players who remained fiercely loyal were only ever rewarded in kindness, failing to win a coveted championship with a lackluster team. The Damian Lillard rumors continuously swirl about for that simple reason: there’s a tension between being the best in the league on a team that may not have what it takes to go all the way.
That’s the decision Kyle Lowry faced this offseason when he felt torn between marching on as a Toronto Raptor or leave for the Heat of Miami for $90 million and the chance at another chip.
Lowry may have chosen Miami, but he will always be “Mr. Raptor” — and he plans on retiring on Mr. Raptor no matter what.
In an exclusive interview with The Undefeated, Lowry reiterated that he plans on signing a one-day contract to officially retire as a Toronto Raptor.
“And I don’t think I would’ve lived there for the rest of my life,” Lowry said when speaking on what the future held in Canada. “But I’ll be able to go back. That’s still home. Like I’ve said, and I’ll say it now, I will sign a one-day contract and I’ll retire as a Toronto Raptor. That is my everything.”
Kyle Lowry maintains that he will retire a Toronto Raptor
While his path to retirement remains unknown, Lowry is set to spend the next three years in Miami as he hopes to lead the Heat to a championship. Paired with All-Star players like Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Lowry is poised to bring the strong 11-6 team to the playoffs as soon as this season.
Despite the promise of a new start, it hasn’t been easy for Lowry to leave the city that shaped him so profoundly. When he heads back to play the Raptors on Feb. 3, 2022, Lowry expects an emotional reunion as he heads home as a visitor.
“I’m a man’s man, but I know I’m going to be a little bit sensitive and crying that day. I don’t know. I might hold it in,” Lowry said. “I’ve talked to [former Raptors teammate] DeMar [DeRozan] about it. But it’s one of them days where I know it’s going to be a lot of love for me and me giving love back, it’s just going to be interesting how it goes down because I don’t know what to expect.”