Kyle Lowry’s retirement celebration in Toronto got rolling Friday afternoon the way he likes best: on a golf course, with familiar faces around him. And right there among the teammates was DeMar DeRozan, Lowry’s close friend and one of the defining players in Raptors history, even if golf isn’t exactly his lane.
Before the 37-year-old six-time NBA All-Star headed out, he took a moment to reflect on what Toronto still means to him. The answer was direct, and it will land with Raptors fans exactly the way it was meant to.
"Toronto will always be home for me," DeRozan said.
"I spent nine years of my career here and it was the foundation of me as a basketball player, and as a human being. It was my first home, and first everything - nothing will replace that."
That bond started when Toronto drafted DeRozan ninth overall out of the University of Southern California in the 2009 NBA Draft. He went on to spend nine seasons with the Raptors, and even now he still sits atop the franchise record book in games played with 675 and points with 13,296.
DeRozan was later sent to the San Antonio Spurs in the blockbuster deal that followed the 2017-18 season, a trade that also moved Jakob Poeltl and a draft pick to San Antonio in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. In hindsight, that move helped set up the Raptors’ first NBA championship the next season.
Since then, DeRozan has suited up for the Spurs, the Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings. He recently signed a one-year veteran-minimum deal with the Denver Nuggets last month.
Even with all that movement, Toronto still clearly occupies a special place for him. He pointed to the people around him as the thing he values most from his time here.
"The relationships and everything I created with all these guys that I had the opportunity to play with. For me, that's always going to be number one," DeRozan said.
Lowry, meanwhile, didn’t hesitate when asked whether DeRozan’s No. 10 should one day join his own in the Scotiabank Arena rafters.
"It should definitely be up there, without a doubt," he said.
Lowry’s jersey is set to be raised on Jan. 10, when the Raptors host the Philadelphia 76ers, his hometown team. DeRozan said he plans to be there, even though he has a game in Cleveland against the Cavaliers the night before.
"I was honoured enough to have a game and to see Vince [Carter's] jersey go up, and I'll most definitely be here when Kyle's jersey goes up," DeRozan said.
The KLow Invitational at TPC Osprey Valley is one piece of a three-event Raptors celebration for Lowry. He’ll also greet fans in Jurassic Park on Saturday afternoon at Kyle's Block Party before heading to the red carpet for the Night For 7 Gala.
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