Raptors exec Ujiri hints at future jersey retirements after Carter

The Toronto Raptors will be setting sail on uncharted waters later this season, with their first retired jersey in franchise history.

Today, the organization officially confirmed the news of Vince Carter’s No. 15 heading into the Scotiabank Arena rafters on November 2.

With Carter heading into the Basketball Hall of Fame this year, the chance came for Toronto to double up on his honours this year.

Toronto president Masai Ujiri had previously stated the organization’s intentions of retiring Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 first, but obviously, that plan didn’t come to fruition, with the former Raptors point guard still playing for the 76ers.

“They’ll all come. They’ve got to stop playing first. Those guys, they’re all legends here, they’re all well appreciated in the city, in the country, in the organization… all those will come,” Ujiri said today in response to a question asked by Daily Hive about if it was a tough decision to not have Lowry’s number go up first.

Carter added that he contacted Toronto following the news of the Brooklyn Nets (formerly New Jersey) also retiring his number following the Hall of Fame induction.

“I did tell the [Nets] I was truly honoured… I wanted to make sure [the Raptors] had the opportunity, if they choose to, [to retire my jersey first],” Carter told reporters.

Meanwhile, Lowry himself has spoken openly about his desire to retire on the Raptors with a one-day contract, whenever that day comes.

“I’m definitely retiring as a Raptor. That’s something I’ve said since I left here. I will sign that one-day contract and I will retire as a Toronto Raptor. That’s just how it’s going to be. Unless I die before that,” Lowry said back in 2023.

While only time will tell what exactly comes next for the Raptors’ plans to honour their other legends, we can only hope they get their due when the time comes.

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