Raptors to retire Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 on 10 January

The Toronto Raptors will retire Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 in a ceremony following their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on 10 January 2027, with Scotiabank Arena in Toronto set to stage the occasion. Source 1Source 2 Announced on 27 August, the decision will make Lowry only the second player in Raptors history to have his number retired. Source 1Source 2

What happened

Lowry’s No. 7 will follow Vince Carter’s No. 15, which the Raptors retired on 2 November 2024. Source 1Source 2 The ceremony is scheduled to take place after Toronto’s match with Philadelphia, rather than before tip-off. Source 1Source 2

The honour recognises a nine-season Raptors tenure in which Lowry reached the play-offs seven times, appeared in two Eastern Conference Finals and won the 2019 NBA championship. Source 2 The organisation has described Lowry as the face of the most successful period in franchise history and refers to him as the GROAT, meaning Greatest Raptor of All Time. Source 2

“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.” Source 2

Why it matters

Lowry will join Carter as one of only two players whose numbers have been raised by the Raptors, placing the 10 January ceremony among the franchise’s rarest individual honours. Source 1Source 2 His case is underpinned by Toronto all-time records for assists, steals and made three-point field goals, alongside his six NBA All-Star selections. Source 2

The event also links the club’s championship era to its current competitive context. Source 2Source 3 Toronto finished the 2025–26 regular season fifth in the Eastern Conference and third in the Atlantic Division at 46–36, securing a play-off place. Source 3 Across 94 games that season, the Raptors went 53–41 while averaging 114.4 points scored and 111.8 conceded per game. Source 4

Philadelphia provides notable recent opposition for the ceremony night, as the two teams split their four meetings in 2025–26. Source 5 Toronto won its home meeting with the 76ers 116–115 in overtime on 11 January. Source 5

What’s next

The retirement is the culmination of three planned GROAT Nights. Source 2 Toronto will first host the Minnesota Timberwolves on 7 January, when attending fans will receive a collectible T-shirt, before facing the Utah Jazz on 8 January, when a limited-edition Lowry bobblehead is due to be distributed. Source 2

The 10 January game against Philadelphia will then be followed by the No. 7 retirement ceremony. Source 1Source 2 As part of the announcement celebrations, a contest will give one fan the chance to win tickets for all three GROAT Nights. Source 2

Notes

The confirmed plan places the ceremony at Scotiabank Arena after the Philadelphia game on 10 January 2027. Source 1Source 2 The occasion follows Carter’s 2024 retirement and formally makes Lowry the second Raptors player to receive the distinction. Source 1Source 2