Vince Carter admits Kyle Lowry is the greatest Raptor ever

The first elite talent the Toronto Raptors’ franchise ever had recognized the team’s current superstar as the greatest player to ever suit up for the club.

After Toronto’s win on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks, Vince Carter admitted that the face of the franchise is none other than Kyle Lowry.

On Tuesday, Lowry became the team’s all-time leader in assists, passing Jose Calderon. The eight-year Raptor also leads the franchise in steals (790) and three-pointers (1327) while also sitting fourth in career points (9336) and third in games played (533).

“For sure. He’s done a lot, he’s accomplished a lot. He’s been through the ups and downs and he’s been to the mountaintop, so that propels him right there,” Carter said about Lowry. “Obviously the longer he plays here the more he’s going to accomplish wonderful feats like this. It’s well deserved. He loves to play, he’s a competitor, obviously. I’m just glad I was able to see it. I’ll talk junk to him later.”

It’s hard to refute Carter’s statement. Lowry’s been through it all with the team since 2012 and was rewarded for his loyalty with an NBA championship in 2019.

The praise coming from Carter, who left such a large impression — both good and bad — during his tenure with Toronto certainly carries meaningful weight.

Carter, 43, spent the first six seasons of his long career as a member of the Raptors, making five All-Star Game appearances from 1999-2004 as a representative for the club. The former first-round pick is largely credited for originally putting the franchise, and basketball in Toronto, on the map.

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