Kyle Lowry on being called the GROAT: 'It's a pretty cool name'

Kyle Lowry smiled and laughed when asked what he thought about fans calling him the GROAT (Greatest Raptor of All Time).

The 38-year-old point guard is back in town with his Philadelphia 76ers taking on the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

Lowry spent nine seasons with the Raptors and helped the team win its first NBA title in 2019. He holds several franchise records, including most assists, steals, three-pointers and triple-doubles and is second in points and games played.

"I like the name, it’s funny, but as long as the fans say it," Lowry said. "For me, it just shows how much they loved me and they respect me and I gave pretty much everything: blood, sweat, tears, championship, losses, wins. I gave everything to this place and I continue to get the fruits of my labour by coming back up here, the fans and everybody around. It's a pretty cool name."

If not Lowry, then Vince Carter is definitely in the conversation as the GROAT. The Raptors plan to honour the recently inducted Hall-of-Famer by retiring his No. 15 on Nov. 2.

Lowry, who said there were conversations before the announcement, added it's awesome for Carter to be the first to have his Raptors jersey hanging from the rafters and that he deserves the honour.

"It’s a blessing for me to be a friend of his," Lowry said. "He shouted me out in his Hall of Fame speech and that shows the man he is to even think about me in that moment. … For him to have that opportunity to go up there and basically for a place that he kind of really put on the map and made people realize this place isn’t just hockey, it’s impressive."

Could Lowry's No. 7 jersey be next up? The six-time all-star said it would mean "the world" to him.

"Something that a kid can only dream about," Lowry said, "but we’ll see if that ever happens."