As the Philadelphia 76ers rolled into Scotiabank Arena on Sunday for a matchup against the Toronto Raptors, a familiar face walked in wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs] jersey. Former Raptor Kyle Lowry sported an Auston Matthews-signed sweater going into the arena ahead of the first half of a back-to-back in Toronto. Lowry, who won an NBA Championship with the Raptors in 2019, has known Matthews ever since the Maple Leafs' forward was drafted into the NHL in 2016. On the back of the jersey, Matthews wrote: "To Kyle, Toronto legend! Much love, Auston Matthews". "I respect the hell out of Auston," Lowry told reporters (via TSN's Josh Lewenberg) with a smile on Sunday [https://x.com/JLew1050/status/2010478887437046138?s=20]. "We have a mutual relationship, and I gotta pay tribute to my city and, I'm not going to say my country because it's the Toronto Maple Leafs. "But you know, I'm a Maple Leafs guy, and that's a great jersey. I didn't know how big those damn jerseys were, but it looked good with my fit. I appreciate him and I wanted to show the support for the city and also for him, for giving me the jersey." The video of Lowry entering Scotiabank Arena wearing the jersey received a lot of love from Toronto's fans, not only because of what he was wearing, but also for what the 39-year-old means to the city and the Raptors. "He's a Raptors legend, Toronto legend and a guy I got a lot of respect for," Matthews said after being asked about Lowry wearing his jersey [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbdtNz6PV24]. "I bumped into him a few times in my tenure here, and he’s been nothing but class. It was pretty cool to see him wear that jersey." Matthews had been to several Raptors games while Lowry was with the team. Lowry was with the Raptors from 2012 to 2021, playing 601 games for Toronto. He was an NBA All-Star in six of his nine seasons with the Raptors. Lowry potentially played his final game in Toronto on Monday night with the 76ers. Once he calls it quits, Lowry said he will retire a Raptor, and it's also likely he'll have his number '7' retired and put up in the rafters inside Scotiabank Arena. "If it does and when it does, it will be a super emotional day. I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into that seven," Lowry added [https://x.com/JLew1050/status/2010476516006637817?s=20], "and to know that it probably won't ever be worn again, it'd be pretty special. I think, something that, for my basketball legacy, is pretty, pretty darn cool."
