Kyle Lowry 's retirement celebration was supposed to be a Toronto lovefest. However, Kevin Love apparently had other ideas, dusting off a joke that brought back memories Raptors fans probably weren't expecting to revisit on Lowry's big moment.
That didn't sit well with everyone, as the NBA world quickly went after Love for the jab, with some taking issue with both the joke and his choice of moment to make it.
Maple Leaf Square was packed with familiar faces Saturday as Toronto celebrated Lowry in style. DeMar DeRozan , Fred VanVleet , Danny Green , and Love were all there, sharing stories, cracking jokes, and giving the longtime Raptors star his flowers.
Then Love got the microphone, and the 2016 NBA champion couldn't resist taking Toronto back to a time the city would probably rather leave buried.
Love jokingly brought up "LeBronto," the nickname tied to LeBron James and Cleveland 's years of playoff dominance over the Raptors. While Lowry chuckled at the joke, the NBA community was quick to react.
"I'm crying why was he there. Who gave him the mic?" an NBA observer tweeted .
"This is so outta pocket," a USA Today editor added .
Others weren't nearly as amused.
"This is some loser (expletive). What a (expletive) clown," a Toronto sports supporter raged .
"We are celebrating the career and legacy of Kyle Lowry, and his impact on Toronto sports and history as a whole and this mf talking about LeBron," another Toronto sports supporter complained .
A few jokingly went so far as to try to banish Love from the city altogether.
"You have 2 days to flee from my city, Kevin Love. If I have word you're still roaming the streets of Toronto by Monday Morning there will be problems," another Raptors supporter reacted .
"Who invite this guy??? He should not be permitted to come back to Toronto, ever," a Raptors and Indiana Fever supporter wrote .
There was plenty of history behind Love's joke, as he and James were part of the Cavaliers teams that ended Toronto's postseason three years in a row from 2016 through 2018. Cleveland swept the Raptors in both 2017 and 2018.
ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones dropped the "LeBronto" line during Game 2 of the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals, with James once again giving Toronto problems. The nickname caught on quickly and followed the Raptors long after the series ended.
Funny enough, Love and Lowry eventually went from playoff rivals to teammates. Love joined him in Miami in February 2023, and a few months later, the two were playing in the NBA Finals. They shared the Heat locker room for less than a year before Lowry was traded to Charlotte in January 2024.
Love came to Toronto to celebrate his friend and couldn't resist one last reminder of their old rivalry. "Mr. Raptor" got the laugh. Love got the boos. And "LeBronto" somehow managed to crash a Toronto party one more time.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
