For almost a decade, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were the faces of the Toronto Raptors franchise. However, that duo had failed to yield them a championship.
Eight years after their breakup with the Raptors, Lowry looked back at his time as teammates with DeRozan fondly, saying that the latter should have a proper jersey retirement with the team once he retires from the NBA.
“Oh yeah, definitely going up there. Without a doubt about it,” Lowry said. “Vince [Carter] was very deserving, and he should’ve been the first one up, and I’m so happy he was.”
Kyle Lowry Thinks DeMar DeRozan’s Jersey Will Be Next To Be Retired In Toronto
Lowry, who has played 20 seasons in the NBA, signed a one-day contract with the Raptors to officially end his career in Toronto. Lowry’s No. 7 jersey is the second number in the rafters in Toronto following Vince Carter.
“Me being the second [jersey number retired], and then, possibly DeMar [DeRozan] being the next one,” Lowry said. “It just shows where the organization and franchise is going, right? It’s trending up, and it’s been trending up a long time. I think the appreciation of the franchise that people have now, is pretty cool.”
Lowry and DeRozan established the modern winning culture of the Raptors by transforming the franchise from a perennial lottery team into a consistent Eastern Conference powerhouse during the early 2010s.
DeRozan was drafted in 2009, while Lowry arrived via trade from the Houston Rockets in 2012. Together, they forged one of the NBA’s elite backcourts, anchoring five consecutive playoff appearances and reaching the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.
DeRozan was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018 for Kawhi Leonard, a ruthless move by general manager Masai Ujiri that cleared the hurdle of multiple losses against LeBron James and yielded Toronto’s lone NBA Championship in 2019.
Lowry stayed to help win that 2019 title, cementing his status as the greatest Raptor of all time.
DeRozan, meanwhile, bounced around the league, playing with the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings since the Raptors traded him in 2018.
DeMar DeRozan Expresses Thoughts On Seeing His Jersey In Toronto’s Rafters
DeMar DeRozan is hoping that his jersey number will also soon be retired by the Raptors to acknowledge his contributions to the franchise.
“I hope so…I was honoured enough to be here, to have a game and to see Vince [Carter], the first jersey to go up,” DeRozan said.
For now, he feels blessed that he is being considered as the next one to see his jersey retired in Toronto.
“I most definitely will be here when Kyle [Lowry’s] jersey go up. To be able to see people that I know personally, and now somebody I played with, jersey get retired, it means the most. Whatever happens after that, we’ll see,” DeRozan said.
DeRozan is still in the league and has recently signed with the Denver Nuggets. DeRozan signed a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum contract with the Nuggets for his 18th NBA season.
With the Nuggets, he has a chance to win his first-ever NBA championship before he calls it a career.
Right now, he is focused on contributing with the Nuggets next season.
Kyle Lowry Makes Feelings Clear About DeMar DeRozan Jersey Retirement With Raptors