TORONTO — Calling it a long-overdue tribute to one of the most beloved players in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors unveiled a 14-foot bronze statue of Kyle Lowry depicted as a fully grown velociraptor Thursday.
“This is Kyle exactly as Raptors fans remember him,” team president Masai Ujiri said while pulling a curtain away from the sculpture, which features Lowry’s face attached to a muscular prehistoric body taking a charge.
The statue reportedly captures several iconic elements of Lowry’s career, including his No. 7 jersey, championship ring, and unusually powerful lower-body construction, which engineers said required nearly twice the normal amount of bronze.
Historians praised the organization for finally acknowledging that the Raptors’ greatest era was led by an actual dinosaur.
“It explains the team name, the logo, everything,” said longtime fan Darren Mills. “Honestly, I’m embarrassed we didn’t notice sooner.”
The sculpture depicts Lowry roaring at a referee while simultaneously drawing an offensive foul from a charging triceratops.
City officials confirmed the statue will remain permanently outside Scotiabank Arena, where visiting players are expected to rub its backside for good luck before playoff games.
Lowry reportedly became emotional upon seeing the tribute before asking why they made his arms so short.
