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Why Kyle Lowry’s jersey retirement date is perfect as Raptors reveal multi-night GROAT tribute

Team will have three-night tribute to GROAT, with his jersey raised to rafters in ceremony on Jan. 10 after game against Sixers.

Published Aug 27, 2026  •  Last updated 14 hours ago  •  3 minute read

Toronto Raptors legend Kyle Lowry announced his retirement from the NBA signing a one-day contract with the Raptors last month. Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun

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The Raptors weren’t kidding when they said that Kyle Lowry’s legacy was too big for just one night.

The team announced on Thursday morning that the GROAT — Greatest Raptor of All Time — would be honoured with three special nights this coming season, building up to his official jersey retirement ceremony, which will come against his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.

Lowry’s No. 7 will be raised to the rafters at Scotiabank Arena during a post-game ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 10, following two other tribute nights earlier in the week leading up to the grand finale.

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years. 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,” Lowry said in a statement released by the team. “We built something special here — my teammates, the organization, the city and the fans, and all of Canada.

“We became champions together, and to be able to share this night with all of them, and with my family, is going to mean a lot to me.”

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The tributes to Lowry — who joins Vince Carter as the second player in franchise history to have his number retired — will begin with the Raptors’ game on Jan. 7 against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a collectible T-shirt and continue the following night against the Utah Jazz with a limited-edition Kyle Lowry bobblehead. The team also revealed there will be “special programming and surprises” throughout both nights.

While having Lowry’s jersey raised against his the 76ers would be fitting enough on its own — Lowry was born and raised in Philadelphia, also playing his final three NBA seasons for the Sixers — there are even deeper connections.

Lowry played under current Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse as part of Toronto’s 2019 NBA championship team and also reportedly has a close relationship with rising star Tyrese Maxey. It also doesn’t hurt to have one of the sport’s greatest players, LeBron James, in attendance, either.

The date works out very well too for another reason. Lowry had previously stated that, if possible, he would like for close friend and former teammate DeMar DeRozan to attend. Last week, DeRozan signed with the Denver Nuggets as a free agent, despite calls from some fans in Toronto for a reunion.

DeRozan and the Nuggets play in Cleveland on Jan. 9 and then have a day off the following night, making it theoretically possible that the former Raptors star could make the trip north of the border for the special night.

Earlier this week, the team shared a brief tease of what may be coming in terms of a tribute on its official social media feeds.

The five-second video first features a picture of Lowry bringing the ball down the court while holding up his pointer finger as if to call out a play.

The video then briefly transitions to a logo of the Raptors mascot holding the same pose that Lowry had.

“A legacy too big for one night,” the Raptors captioned the clip.

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While it hasn’t been officially announced, speculation is that the team likely will use the logo during several games this coming season, just as it did with the Vince Carter-inspired look in 2025-26.

In its press release on Thursday, the Raptors also announced that they would be launching a contest to give one lucky fan the opportunity to experience this milestone week and win a pair of tickets to all three GROAT Nights, with details to follow on the team’s social media channels.

Some fans on X also called for the team to design a special court for Lowry, while others are crossing their fingers for a unique jersey set.

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