Kyle Lowry reinforces he wants to retire as Toronto Raptor player ahead of his Scotiabank Arena return

Kyle Lowry spent the formative years of his career competing for the Toronto Raptors. After playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets, the guard moved to Toronto and stayed for eight seasons. He was a member of two prominent dynamic duos during that period, first with DeMar DeRozan and subsequently with Kawhi Leonard.

During the famed 2018–19 season, Lowry helped fuel the Raptors' success alongside Kawhi Leonard, with the duo winning an NBA title. In the wake of Leonard's departure, the team struggled, ultimately resulting in Lowry parting ways with the team.

Despite that and the fact that he's currently on the Miami Heat, Kyle Lowry has made it clear on more than one occasion that he wants to retire as a Raptor. Leading up to his and the Miami Heat's game in Toronto, Kyle Lowry doubled down on his desire to retire a Raptor.

"I'm definitely retiring as a Raptor," Lowry said. "That’s something I've said since I left here. I will sign that day contract and I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. That's just how it’s going to be. Unless I die before that." [via reporter Aaron Rose]

Looking at the love between Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors

In today's NBA, it's extremely typical for fans of a certain team to be resentful of players who depart. Although it is impossible to judge if the reaction was correct or incorrect, it is a case that fans are familiar with.

When LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers or when Kevin Durant left the OKC Thunder, the situation came out of nowhere for fans. As a result, there was a negative reaction from fans.

However, when Kyle Lowry left Toronto, there was no animosity on either side. Last season, when Lowry returned to play at Scotiabank Arena, he was showered with love and admiration from fans.

As he explained during a pregame press conference, Toronto had become home during his tenure with the team. To be fair to him, Lowry helped this franchise raise its first banner, earning him a special place in fan's hearts.

“I missed everything about the city, the country, the organization," Lowry said via NBA.com. "It’s a lot to miss. It’s a place I called home for a long time. I won a lot of basketball games here, set a lot of records here. I’ve got a banner hanging up in there. It’s just a special place.”

Kyle Lowry is anticipated to receive a lot of support from fans when his team, the Miami Heat, takes on the Raptors on Wednesday night.