WATCH: The “Greatest Raptor of All Time”, Kyle Lowry gets a standing ovation from the crowd at Scotiabank Arena
KYLE LOWRY – Toronto knew exactly what it was watching on Monday night, and it didn’t take long for the arena to say it out loud.
The usual late-game soundtrack inside Scotiabank Arena faded into something far more specific and far more personal. Raptors fans started chanting, “We want Kyle!” as reality started to sink in that this could very well be the last time they see their future Hall of Fame point guard and bonafide franchise legend step foot on to the court in Toronto.
Kyle Lowry is in year 20, the finish line is no longer some distant idea, and Raptors fans knew that this would likely be the end. There wouldn’t be another chance to see their franchise legend step onto that floor again.
Once the Sixers built a sizable lead late, the moment basically demanded itself.
Nick Nurse finally waved Kyle Lowry off the bench and sent him to the scorer’s table, and Scotiabank Arena responded the only way it could.
The building rose in unison for a standing ovation that felt more like a tribute than a routine substitution. Just a full-on thank you to the greatest era in Raptors basketball.
Standing ovation for Kyle Lowry in Toronto:
Kyle Lowry admitted afterward he wasn’t even sure he was going to get into the game, which is part of what made it hit harder. He credited his teammates for handling business early enough to give him the chance to take in the moment.
Kyle Lowry Postgame:
“I think that was part of their plan, to make sure I got in there,” Lowry said. “I got an opportunity to experience one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career.”
That’s the clip that’s going to live forever, too. You can forget about the points and the box score. Trash the recap.
Last night was all about the pageantry and reception for an absolute legend to the game of basketball and more specifically, Canada and the Toronto Raptors. That type of appreciation is what legends chase when they are finally at the end of the road and their career starts to feel finite.
Kyle Lowry earned every second of it.
Tyrese Maxey looked like he was watching a movie in real time, and honestly, he kind of was. Maxey spoke about it like someone who understands how rare it is to be that loved in one place.
“Amazing,” Maxey said. “I told him, ‘Listen, we’re gonna do whatever we gotta do to make sure you get in tonight…’ He’s a legend, man. He’s legendary. What he’s done for this organization, what he’s done for this franchise, it’s bigger than just basketball. It’s a whole country.”
That last line is the key. Toronto is the city, the Raptors are the franchise, and Canada is the heartbeat behind it. Kyle Lowry became a symbol for an entire country’s basketball identity, especially as the leader of the title team and the face of the Raptors when they went from “cute story” to “legit powerhouse.”
Paul George echoed the same idea, because it was impossible to miss if you were in the building.
“It was special,” George said. “Kyle means so much to this country. It’s bigger than Toronto. That reception was everything.”
Even the rookies caught the vibe immediately. VJ Edgecombe, making his first trip to Toronto, sounded genuinely stunned that the crowd hijacked its own chants to demand a bench player check into a game.
“It’s so crazy because that’s usually the defense chant,” Edgecombe said. “They turned that into ‘we want Kyle’ chants. I was like, man, Kyle got to go in the game.”
Then you have Joel Embiid, who has been public enemy No. 1 in that building plenty of times, stepping back and appreciating what the moment actually represented. Embiid’s reaction hit because it was honest and it was bigger than rivalry.
“It was great,” Embiid said. “Championships are great, but this type of stuff matters a lot. Your legacy. His kids, grandkids, extended family, they’re gonna see this for the rest of his life. He’s probably gonna get his jersey retired. Probably gonna get a statue. Every time he comes to Toronto, it’s always gonna be the same love. When he played his game, that’s the respect you want at the end of your career.”
Cheers to you, Kyle Lowry
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