It’s the end of an unforgettable era for Toronto. Kyle Lowry, a.k.a. the GROAT, K-Low, the Bulldog, and everyone’s favorite Raptor, has inked a three-year deal with the Miami Heat. Lowry broke the news on his Instagram story at the start of free agency on Monday night and fans are nothing short of devastated to see him go.
Lowry has been with the Raptors for nine seasons and led the team to its first-ever NBA Championship win in 2019. The player has made his love for the city known since the beginning and that feeling is most definitely mutual. Raptors fans are flooding social media with heartfelt tributes for Lowry, sharing their favourite memories of him and thanking him for his achievements as the city’s unofficial MVP.
Even Mayor John Tory and celebrity ambassador Drake are wishing him well. The mayor published a statement on Monday, writing, “Our city has gone through a lot this past year, but this one really hurts. Kyle Lowry is the Greatest Raptor of All Time. Everyone knows that.”
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My statement on the departure of Toronto Raptor Kyle Lowry.@Klow7 pic.twitter.com/5pHGZzjUNJ
— John Tory (@JohnTory) August 3, 2021
“Kyle Lowry united the Raptors and Toronto and made a whole county cheer. He will be missed but he will not be forgotten,” he wrote, adding that a celebration and a “statue celebrating his legacy” is in the plans.
Drake posted a shot of himself standing in between Kyle Lowry and former Raptor DeMar DeRozan. “The city is yours eternally and we wish you the best in south beach… we will continue to celebrate you,” he wrote to Lowry in the caption.
Lowry has yet to share his parting message with the city he’s called home for nine years and we’re emotionally preparing ourselves for it with everyone else. Given how much he’s adored by Raptors from coast to coast, he’ll be given an unbelievable sendoff as he enters the next chapter of his career.
