Former Raptors Coach Shares His Opinion on the Greatest Raptor of All Time

Former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse says Kyle Lowry is the greatest Toronto Raptors player of all time

Jan 18, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse talks with guard Kyle Lowry (7) during a free throw in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Nurse barely paused to think.

Who is the greatest Toronto Raptors player of all time he was asked by Draymond Green on a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show.

Kyle Lowry, Nurse said without hesitation.

When Nurse arrived in Toronto as an assistant coach back in 2013 Lowry was still trying to make a name for himself. He’d just taken over starting point guard responsibilities the year before and was on his way to breaking out as a multi-time All-Star.

“Just his competitive fire. He's one of those guys … that they just can't help themselves when it's time to compete like there's no way they're not competing,” Nurse said looking back at his time with Lowry. “It's like something’s going to turn on and it's gonna happen. It's just so deeply ingrained in him.”

That’s what made Lowry so special, Nurse said. He’d do anything that was needed. He could pull-up for a three in transition to spark the offense, playmake for others out of the pick-and-roll to get his bigs involved. Need a defensive stop? Lowry was legendary when it came to drawing charges.

“I never seen a guy like in a flurry of four minutes do so much, like, bang a shot, come down take a charge, come down knock somebody lay it in, steal one, you know, it’s just like a whirlwind of winning in like 90 seconds or something,” Nurse continued. “You just can't help but love that.”

Still Nurse says Lowry is the hardest-working player he’s ever coached. That’s after a decade in Toronto as an assistant coach and head coach and another year coaching the Philadelphia 76ers where Lowry played 23 games this past season.

“I think six all stars and two gold medals, that's unbelievable,” Nurse said. “He continues to just do a lot of it. I mean, he's six foot tall. Right? He does it all and a lot of heart and toughness.”

Lowry is a free agent this summer following a season in which he was traded from Miami to Charlotte where he was eventually bought out before returning home to Philadelphia. He said he has no plans to retire this summer.