Kyle Lowry likely played his last game in a Toronto Raptors uniform — at least for now — on Wednesday night. If it was indeed his last game as a Raptor, he put a fitting end on a legendary tenure with the franchise, posting a modest 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, but was a career-high +42 in a 135-111 blowout over the Denver Nuggets.
It’s a shame that he didn’t get a sendoff in front of the Toronto faithful, with whom he ingratiated himself like few players get to with a city, but it was a perfect, Lowry-ian performance before he is likely dealt to the Sixers or Heat (or, less likely, the Lakers). After the game, Lowry was emotional leaving the court, spotting the TSN cameras in the tunnel and offering an apparent goodbye.
Kyle Lowry, when he saw the cameras as he walked off the floor tonight for Toronto in Tampa. pic.twitter.com/FHK6q2Mdfe
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 25, 2021
Nick Nurse, who has seen much of Lowry’s tenure as an assistant and most recently as his head coach, spoke about his star with the knowledge that this was likely it, calling him “maybe the greatest Raptor” to ever play for the franchise.
Nick Nurse on Kyle Lowry: “He’ll go down as maybe the greatest Raptor, I think.”
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) March 25, 2021
Raptors coach Nick Nurse on Kyle Lowry: “He plays harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. There’s no higher compliment I can give than that.”
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 25, 2021
Raptors fans will be mad, if anything, that Nurse included the “maybe” qualifier, as Lowry’s impact on the franchise is hard to overstate. In nine seasons, he made the leap to being an All-Star six times, led them to a level of consistency the franchise had never had, even if the early years saw annual playoff heartbreak, and finally was the emotional leader of their championship squad in 2019. How quickly it’s regressed from that championship to this is a strange journey, but so it goes in professional sports.
As for Lowry, he started by shouting out the Raptors’ all-woman broadcast, the first in NBA history.
Shoutout to the ladies who absolutely killed it tonight! #HERStory | #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/wO5O0QOYRt
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 25, 2021
From there, he couldn’t help but note how weird it was out there on Wednesday and how crazy it would’ve been in Toronto, but he was thrilled to get the win.
Lowry on tonight: “I’mma be honest. Usually I bullshit y’all, but tonight was kinda weird” with deadline buzz and uncertainty.
“Of course, it woulda been crazier if it was in Toronto.”
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 25, 2021
Kyle Lowry admits tonight was “weird,” not knowing what’s next – and that it would be crazier in Toronto – but that he was glad the Raptors got a win. He said his phone tomorrow will be on but that he won’t be following what’s happening as far as trades go.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 25, 2021
Lowry wouldn’t speak as if his time with Toronto was officially over, but said that being in Tampa he misses the Toronto fans and the arena staff at Scotiabank Arena.
“The story is not complete. My career is not complete,” Lowry says when asked what he’ll remember most about Toronto.
“I truly miss the fans. I miss the fans. I miss the atmosphere, the energy.” And he shouts out Romeo at the elevator and Bill holding the doors open.
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) March 25, 2021
He also misses Bill, Gus, and the chef.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 25, 2021
Kyle Lowry says he will be OK with whatever outcome happens tomorrow, as far as where he’s playing. “Everything will be fine, no matter what happens.”
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 25, 2021
What does Lowry want at 3:01 p.m. tomorrow: “I don’t know. … Everything happens for a reason. Right now at this moment, I don’t know.”
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) March 25, 2021
He even got the most Toronto of sendoffs mid-presser, as Drake FaceTimed him during his availability.
Kyle Lowry FaceTimed @Drake in the middle of his post-game presser.
pic.twitter.com/YmJxTIBhD2
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 25, 2021
Lowry was “flattered” by Nurse’s comment saying he is arguably the greatest Raptor, noting he can’t call himself that.
“I can’t call myself. I’ll let you decide that,” Kyle Lowry says of Nick Nurse calling him the greatest Raptor of all time. “That comment from him, it’s flattering, it’s awesome.”
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) March 25, 2021
As for his personal growth, on and off the court, Lowry talked about his maturity and work ethic that have gotten him so far.
Kyle Lowry: “I’m not the tallest, I’m not the most athletic, I’m not the fanciest, but I play hard. It’s gotten me a long way, playing hard…I won’t regret anything I’ve done because I’ve played my butt off.”
Out. Work. Everyone.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 25, 2021
“you can’t put a measurement on how much you’ve grown, you just can’t, but i’m a man. i grew from an immature kid to… how do i help everyone else?” lowry on his growth, as a person, in toronto
— Katie Heindl (@wtevs) March 25, 2021
Lowry has said he will retire a Raptor, even if that means signing a one-day contract or coming back for a year later on. Then, he can get a proper sendoff from the fans, but for now, it’s a bittersweet moment where it seems all parties know what’s coming but none can fully speak on it.