As expected, the Toronto Raptors just announced that they will be retiring Kyle Lowry's jersey next season. An interesting tidbit therein is the fact that his jersey retirement ceremony will come when the team hosts the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 10 in the next calendar year. Alas, the former All-Star guard's deep ties to Philly, this certainly does not feel like a mere coincidence.
A six-time All-Star who was one of the co-pilots of the Raptors team that won the title back in 2019, Lowry is locally considered as one of the greatest players to ever put on a Toronto jersey. As such, it is only natural that he will get his jersey up in the rafters after officially retiring this summer. While it has not been long since the longtime point guard has hung his sneakers up, the Raptors made the right decision not to belabor the point and celebrate Lowry's career as part of their franchise for a long time.
The Raptors made a poetic decision scheduling Lowry's jersey retirement against the 76ers
The Raptors brass' decision to schedule the tribute for Lowry when they host the 76ers is a nice touch to make the night even more special for the former All-Star. After all, he touts some connections with the franchise and the city of Philadelphia that run surprisingly deep.
As everyone knows, Lowry spent the last two-and-a-half seasons of his career as part of the 76ers, although his impact was felt more outside the court with his valuable mentorship toward VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey. He did not see the court much for the most part in his stint in Philly, but he definitely left a mark on the young players he helped develop.
Another nexus worth talking about is the fact that the 76ers are still led by Nick Nurse, the man on the sidelines for the franchise. Nurse, after all, was the coach who steered the ship when the Raptors won the championship seven years ago. He was also a major reason why Lowry felt comfortable moving to Philly.
Also, this may have glossed over most people outside of Pennsylvania, but Lowry is from Philadelphia. He played high school basketball in Philly before moving to Villanova for college. It is evident that Lowry himself is entrenched in the city.
Toronto's scheduling decision may not even have pondered about anything that deep, but it is pleasant learning that the 76ers, with whom Kyle Lowry has strong connections to, are playing a major part in celebrating his illustrious career.
Add us as a preferred source on Google