Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 Retirement Gives Toronto Three Nights to Celebrate the GROAT
The Raptors will build a three-game January celebration around Lowry before raising No. 7 to the Scotiabank Arena rafters.
Kyle Lowry will become the second Toronto Raptor to have his jersey retired. Credit: NBA/Getty Images.
Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 will rise to the Scotiabank Arena rafters on Sunday, January 10, 2027, after the Toronto Raptors’ home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Toronto is turning the retirement into a three-game series of “GROAT Nights” beginning January 7. The team uses GROAT — Greatest Raptor of All Time — in its official celebration branding for Lowry.
The Three-Game Celebration Starts January 7
Kyle Lowry will be celebrated across three Raptors home games before his No. 7 is raised to the Scotiabank Arena rafters on January 10, 2027. Credit: Toronto Raptors / NBA
The first night is Thursday, January 7, when Toronto hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Raptors say fans will take home a collectible Lowry T-shirt, with special programming and surprises planned throughout the night.
On Friday, January 8, Toronto hosts the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. ET. The announced giveaway is a limited-edition Kyle Lowry bobblehead, again with special programming and surprises planned.
The jersey retirement is set for Sunday, January 10, after Toronto’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The game is currently scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors say Lowry, his family, former teammates and the organization will take part as No. 7 is raised to the rafters in a post-game ceremony. No separate start time for the ceremony has been announced.
Lowry Will Be the Second Raptor in the Rafters
Lowry will become the second player in franchise history to have his number retired. Vince Carter became the first when the Raptors raised No. 15 on November 2, 2024.
Lowry spent nine seasons with Toronto. Seven ended with playoff appearances, including two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, and he helped lead the Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019.
He was selected to six consecutive NBA All-Star Games from 2015 through 2020, all while playing for Toronto. The Raptors’ August 27 announcement also lists Lowry as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists, steals and three-point field goals made.
What Fans Should Know Before Buying Tickets
Kyle Lowry celebrates with the Larry O’Brien Trophy during the Raptors’ 2019 championship parade in Toronto. Lowry spent nine seasons with the franchise and will have his No. 7 retired in January 2027. Credit: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
Each of the three dates has a different focus. January 7 features the collectible T-shirt, January 8 features the Lowry bobblehead, and January 10 is the only announced jersey-raising ceremony.
Fans who specifically want to see No. 7 raised should make sure they are buying tickets for the January 10 game against Philadelphia. The Raptors’ announcement names the two giveaways but does not publish detailed distribution rules, door times or a separate start time for the post-game ceremony. Those details should be checked on the Raptors’ official event and schedule pages closer to January.
For Toronto, the three-game format turns the jersey retirement into a short homecoming, with two lead-in nights before Lowry’s No. 7 joins Vince Carter’s No. 15 in the Scotiabank Arena rafters.
