What to know
- Kyle Lowry reunited with several former Raptors teammates at a charity golf tournament ahead of his Toronto block party.
- DeMar DeRozan, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, Danny Green, CJ Miles and Jamal Shead were among those spotted at the event.
- Former Raptors head coach Nick Nurse also joined Lowry and his former teammates for the tournament.
- Lowry and DeRozan traded playful jabs about their golf games, with DeRozan saying Lowry “stinks” at golf.
- ‘Kyle’s Block Party’ takes place Saturday at Jurassic Park, followed by a black-tie gala raising funds for the MLSE Foundation.
In anticipation of “Kyle’s Block Party” this weekend, the Toronto Raptors and MLSE Foundation are bringing the ‘GROAT’s’ teammates, friends, and guests together for a golf tournament.
This weekend, the Raptors are hosting a major celebration to honour iconic player Kyle Lowry, who officially retired earlier this summer. The NBA star was with the Raptors over nine seasons, earning the nickname ‘GROAT’ (Greatest Raptor of All Time) after contributing to the team’s very first NBA Championship.
Kyle’s Block Party is taking place on Saturday at Jurassic Park, and will feature special appearances, activations, and career highlights to honour the player.
The daytime party will be followed by an elegant night gala, which premises “an unforgettable black-tie experience alongside Kyle Lowry, family, friends, and former teammates.” The event will also raise funds for the MLSE Foundation to support youth facing barriers to enter the sports industry.
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Although the main event is taking place on Sept. 19, festivities have already begun this Friday, as the Raptors and MLSE Foundation prepare for the weekend with a charity golf tournament.
The event has gathered Lowry himself along with several other NBA stars, partners, and guests, as they spend the day celebrating the player’s second favourite sports to also raise money for the charity organization; and Now Toronto has gathered some of the highlights of the event so far.
Appearances so far
Although the main event is still to happen this weekend, the golf tournament has reunited some of Lowry’s most celebrated teammates.
Some of the attendees spotted so far have been: DeMar DeRozan, Fred VanVleet, Jamal Shead, Serge Ibaka, CJ Miles, and Danny Green.
Lowry’s former head coach Nick Nurse also attended the Invitational.
Lowry and DeMar spoke to reporters
Citing some of the highly-awaited guests, including Chuck Hayes, Danny Green, DeMar DeRozan, Lowry spoke to reporters at the tournament about the significance of the event.
“All these guys have had such an impact on my career and life and family… All these guys have been a part of the growth of me and who I am, and the things that I was able to do for this organization, for this country and the city,” he said.
DeMar, who formed an iconic duo with Lowry through the 2010s, also spoke with reporters during the event. Despite their on-court chemistry, the player explained he was not the biggest Lowry fan when they first met, but formed a connection with him after they got to know each other.
“I have said it many times, I hated Kyle, I couldn’t stand him. He was an acquired taste, a very unique individual. But once you learned him and you understood him, and you understood why he was the way he was, I wouldn’t trade him for the world,” he told reporters.
“The amount of things he had to overcome from a competitive standpoint — he never was the most athletic person on the court or the tallest — but he always had that heart and that grit that he just carried with him… Everything that he [did], he approached with that underdog mentality, and that’s what made him great.”
Speaking with reporters at the event, Nurse also spoke about important moments lived with the player.
“We are very close. We’ve been through a lot of battles together [for] a long time and I’m honoured to be here… Nice to be back in Toronto,” he said.
The gold war is on
When it comes to golf, DeMar promised Lowry some tough competition.
“I’ve played with him but… the last time we played I just rode his gold cart. I still think he stinks, I don’t think he is that good,” he told reporters.
However, Lowry pushed back on the comments, also throwing his old teammate a shade.
“Anyone who plays golf in a durag can’t be that good,” he replied.
Nurse also revealed that he has played golf with Lowry before, citing that as an important reason for his appearance at the event.
“We fight a lot in the bubble. I kinda parked my clubs for a few years and there wasn’t much else to do when we were in the bubble,” he added.
Speculation on appearances for Saturday’s gala builds on
Although various names are being cited as possible appearances on Saturday’s main celebration, MLSE Foundation and the Raptors have yet to confirm who will be attending the event.
The foundation has hinted at special appearances for the main act, but there is still speculation on what basketball stars might be coming to the city for the event.
With incredible appearances at the event, with names like DeMar, Ibaka, Green, and Miles showing up on Friday, expectations for the gala keep climbing among fans.
