Lowry: Carter jersey retirement 'an honour'
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Former Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry told reporters Friday that he is thrilled to see Vince Carter’s jersey being retired by the organization.
“It’s an honour for Vince to have his jersey going up there. Being the first one, it’s a blessing for me to be a friend of his. You know, he shouted me out in his Hall of Fame speech and, like I said, that shows the man he is to even think about me in that moment,” he said.
The now Philadelphia 76ers floor general met with the media Friday morning at Scotiabank Arena ahead of Friday night’s matchup with the Raptors. Lowry added he agreed with the franchise’s decision to retire No. 15, saying Carter did a lot for the franchise at a critical time.
“For him to have that opportunity to go up there and basically for the place that he kind of really put on the map and made people realize this place isn’t just hockey, it’s impressive and it’s an honour.”
Lowry added that it would mean “the world” to him to have his No. 7 jersey up in the rafters someday alongside Carter’s.
The Raps will honour Carter next Saturday night against the Sacramento Kings as he becomes the first Raptor to have his number retired. The Nets announced plans earlier this summer to retire Carter’s jersey on Jan. 25 against the Miami Heat in celebration of the five seasons he played with the franchise in New Jersey.
Carter began his NBA career with the Raptors in 1998 and went on to play six and a half seasons with Toronto, making the All-Star team five times and becoming one of the most exciting players in the league, highlighted by him winning the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. However, the relationship between Carter and the Raptors soured toward the end of his tenure and the Raps sent him to the Nets in a multi-player trade in 2004.
Carter was booed upon returning to Toronto for years, but the reaction softened as his career went on. According to multiple reports, the Raptors are even expected to further honour Carter with their “City Edition” jersey this year which is set to feature the team’s Raptor mascot emulating Carter’s iconic through-the-legs dunk from the 2000 dunk contest.
Carter was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this month alongside former Raptor Chauncey Billups. Carter finished his NBA career during the 2019-20 season with the Atlanta Hawks having played 22 seasons for eight different teams.
Lowry, 38, left the Raptors as a free agent for the Heat after the 2020-21 seasons and has since joined the Sixers after being traded by the Heat last season.