Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry to be awarded honorary degree

Toronto Raptors legend Kyle Lowry has been adorned with many titles over the last few years, including All-Star, potential Hall of Fame player, and NBA champion. In the future, he might need to add “Dr. Kyle Lowry” to that always-growing list.

Lowry is in the middle of what many are assuming will be his final season with a Raptors team on the fringes of the playoffs. Not only will the 35-year-old impending free agent likely have his eye on teams that could get him a second championship ring, but the fact he sold his Toronto home doesn’t make it seem like he is staying up north.

Lowry is still effective on the court, evidenced by his 17.1 points and 7.3 assists per game, but those interested in reading the tea leaves can infer that he is starting to lay the groundwork for a departure after he was not traded at the deadline. Perhaps wanting to give him a potential parting gift, a major Canadian university is acknowledging Lowry’s charity work.

Acadia University in Nova Scotia announced that Lowry would be a part of their virtual convocation on May 9, as he will be receiving an honorary degree for his services to the Raptors and the country as a whole due to his altruistic nature.

Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry keeps piling up accolades.

“Lowry and his wife, Ayahna Cornish-Lowry, are committed to improving the lives of the disadvantaged in Toronto and Philadelphia to help them experience a better quality of life,” the release reads. “Together, they set up the Lowry Love Foundation, a charity that gives back to the community.”

One of Lowry’s more successful programs that he has established through his foundation is the “Aim for the Net” venture, which tries to “use the lure of sports and recreation as a vehicle to develop character and responsibility and to prevent youthful drug abuse, sales and related problems.”

In tandem with the ACE (Artistic and Cultural Enrichment) program, Lowry has helped students at several Toronto and Philadelphia elementary schools get a head start on the path to success.

Part of what has really galvanized Lowry to the Toronto community, aside from his play on the court, is how he has embraced the fact he’s playing in Canada. In a basketball market that has to overcome a ton of geographical and financial issues in order to be more than a stopgap for most stars, Lowry has welcomed the idea of being the main man across all of Canadian basketball.

Lowry might be on the verge of leaving Canada behind after nearly a decade north of the border, but it’s becoming even more clear by the day that he is one step below coronated royalty in Ontario and all across the nation.