Kyle Lowry Retires from NBA, After 20-Year Career

‘7 Forever’: Kyle Lowry Retires as a Toronto Raptor, After 20-Year NBA Career

Kyle Lowry, the North Philadelphia native who became the defining player in Toronto Raptors history, announced Tuesday that he is retiring from the NBA as a member of the Raptors, bringing an end to a career that spanned 20 years and left a lasting imprint on multiple franchises, including his hometown 76ers.

In a retirement message shared by Toronto, Lowry thanked the teams and cities that shaped his career — Memphis, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and especially Toronto — before making clear where he wanted the final chapter to land: “I’m officially retiring as a Toronto Raptor.”

Lowry, 40, exits the league with a résumé that places him firmly in the Hall of Fame conversation. He was a six-time All-Star, helped lead the Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019, and won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2016.

More than the accolades, Lowry’s legacy is tied to the identity he gave Toronto basketball. He evolved into the franchise’s emotional center and on-court engine, building a reputation as a tough, unselfish floor general whose leadership helped redefine the Raptors from a talented team into a title winner.

His retirement also carries local significance in Philadelphia. Lowry spent the final two-plus seasons of his career here with the Sixers, appearing in 72 games and averaging 4.7 points and 3.0 assists. Though injuries limited his role, his influence extended well beyond the box score. The veteran guard served as a mentor to younger players, including Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and often functioned as an extra coach from the bench.

The Raptors marked the announcement with the phrase “#7 FOREVER,” a sign of how deeply Lowry remains woven into the organization’s history. A report cited by NBC Philadelphia said the retirement announcement could be a precursor to additional honors during the 2026-27 season, including the likely retirement of his No. 7 jersey at Scotiabank Arena.

For a player whose career was built on grit, command and competitive edge, the ending was fitting: not just retirement, but retirement on his own terms, and in the uniform most closely tied to his greatness.