Kyle Lowry will be wearing jersey No. 7 for the Miami Heat this 2021-22 season. However, as many fans of the South Beach franchise know, that's the number Goran Dragic used to wear before he was sent to the Toronto Raptors in the Lowry deal.
While the number is not retired on the Heat and Lowry was undoubtedly free to take it, he apparently chose to ask for the blessing of Dragic as former teammates and friends. The two played together on the Houston Rockets from 2010 to 2012.
“Goran has been a friend of mine for a long, long time now,” Lowry said on Wednesday, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “And me and him have always been great competitive players against the other, and we always cheered for each other. It’s just out of straight respect for a guy that I’ve been knowing now for 10 years, 11 years now. And I just feel what he did here for this organization, and for me it’s just calling a friend and saying, ‘Listen, no disrespect. If that’s cool with you. No other number means anything to me but seven.'”
It's undoubtedly a cool gesture from Kyle Lowry, which goes to show his respect and admiration for Goran Dragic.
For what it's worth, though, Dragic chose to change his number with the Raptors since he understands the importance of Lowry to the franchise. After all, it was the 35-year-old vet who helped lead the team to the promised land in 2019 alongside Kawhi Leonard.
Lowry and Dragic swapped places in a sign-and-trade deal that sent the former to the Heat. Miami had been trying to bring him to the team since trade deadline last year, but no deal was made and they had to wait until the offseason when Lowry hits free agency.
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