Kyle Lowry hopes that after the Toronto Raptors raise his No. 7 to their rafters, it won't take long for them to bestow the same honor on his longtime friend DeMar DeRozan.
"It should definitely go up there, without a doubt about it," the recently retired guard said Friday while hosting a charity golf tournament in Toronto, according to TSN. Lowry added: "I know it seems like there's so many jerseys in the last couple of years; Vince (Carter) was very deserving, and he should have been the first going up, and I'm so happy he was.
"Me being the second and then possibly DeMar being the next one, I think it just shows where the organization and the franchise is going, right? It's trending up, and it's been trending up a long time, and I think the appreciation of the franchise that people have now is pretty cool."
DeRozan played nine seasons with Toronto after the team selected him ninth overall in 2009, and the USC product still holds several of the franchise's best all-time marks. No one has played more games (675), scored more points (13,296), hit more shots (4,716), or sunk more free throws (3,539) as a Raptor than DeRozan, who also ranks in the franchise's top five for career assists (2,078) and steals (655).
The 37-year-old DeRozan signed with the Denver Nuggets this summer but said he expects to be in the building when the Raptors raise Lowry's jersey Jan. 10. He admitted he would appreciate receiving the same honor but said he isn't looking that far ahead yet.
"I hope so. But for now ... I was honored enough to be here to have a game to see Vince go up, the first jersey go up. I most definitely will be here when Kyle's jersey goes up," DeRozan said while attending Lowry's charity tournament, according to the "Off The Roster" podcast.
"To be able to see people that I know personally, and now somebody I played with, (their) jersey get retired, man, it means the most. Whatever happens after that, we'll see."
DeRozan will make his first trip and only trip to Toronto with the Nuggets this season Nov. 29.
