Kevin Love couldn’t resist poking the bear at Kyle Lowry’s block party.
The Toronto Raptors staged a free, daytime celebration in Maple Leaf Square on Saturday to honor Lowry, their greatest player in franchise history, who signed his final contract in July. The event was open to the public and included guest appearances from several NBA players.
Love, who spent plenty of time battling the Raptors during the peak of Lowry’s run, used the moment to revive one of Toronto’s most painful basketball memories. He dropped a “LeBronto” reference - the nickname that took hold during LeBron James’ years of tormenting the Raptors - and immediately set off the crowd.
“This is Kyle’s day, but isn’t this LeBronto? I’m just kidding… I love you guys, c’mon now.”
Kevin Love:
“This is Kyle’s day, but isn’t this LeBronto?” 💀
(via @LindsayDunnTV) pic.twitter.com/kfQ8cZZl9B
- Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 19, 2026
The reaction was instant. Raptors fans booed Love right away, and he quickly backed off and tried to smooth things over. Lowry, meanwhile, was seen laughing hard at the line, a sign that he didn’t take offense.
The joke landed because “LeBronto” still carries real sting in Toronto. The nickname traces back to the Raptors’ run from 2016 through 2018, when they kept running into James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs.
In 2016, Toronto went 56-26 and finished second in the East with a group built around Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Norman Powell, and Jonas Valanciunas. That season ended with a loss to Cleveland in the Conference Finals.
The next year brought more misery, as the Cavaliers swept the Raptors in the second round. Then in May of 2018, Toronto entered the postseason as the top seed in the East only to get swept again by Cleveland in the second round.
That final Cavs win helped cement the “LeBronto” label in media circles, a direct shot at James’ dominance over the franchise. The stretch didn’t just wreck Toronto’s playoff hopes year after year; it also played a role in the Raptors’ decision to break up their iconic backcourt duo a few months after that 2018 loss.
For Raptors fans, it remains a sore subject, even after the 2019 breakthrough when Kawhi Leonard led the team to the title. Love clearly knew exactly what he was doing when he brought it up, and he didn’t seem bothered by the boos that followed.
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