May 5, 2018; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) stands on the scorer's table after hitting the final shot to win the game against the Toronto Raptors in game three of the second round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
May 5, 2018; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) stands on the scorer's table after hitting the final shot to win the game against the Toronto Raptors in game three of the second round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
In honor of their greatest player in franchise history (who signed his final contract in July), the Toronto Raptors invited all Raptors fans to Kyle Lowry’s block party in Maple Leaf Square on Saturday. It was a free, daytime event open to the public that featured guest appearances from other NBA athletes.
One such athlete was Kevin Love, who frequently battled the Raptors at the height of Lowry’s tenure. Despite the occasion, Love felt it appropriate to rile up the Toronto natives by bringing up their arch-nemesis, LeBron James, and the ‘LeBronto’ nickname that became so iconic during the late 2010s.
“This is Kyle’s day, but isn’t this LeBronto? I’m just kidding… I love you guys, c’mon now.”
Kevin Love:
“This is Kyle’s day, but isn’t this LeBronto?”
(via @LindsayDunnTV) pic.twitter.com/kfQ8cZZl9B
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 19, 2026
It was supposed to be an event to celebrate Lowry’s career, so Love’s words were not taken well by the crowd. They immediately booed the NBA veteran, leading him to retract the statement and sue for peace. As for Lowry, he could be seen laughing hard at the comment, implying that he did not take it personally.
Ultimately, it was just an innocent jest from Love with no malice attached. The problem is, Raptors fans are still sore about the ‘LeBronto’ era and what they had to endure during what was supposed to be a historic run for the franchise.
It started around 2016, with a Raptors team built around Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Norman Powell, and Jonas Valanciunas. They finished second in the East that year after going 56-26, but they lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals. It only got worse the next year, when Toronto lost to the Cavs again in a second-round playoff sweep. Finally, in May of 2018, the Raptors would lose to the Cavaliers for the third straight time, getting swept in the second round despite earning the top seed in the East.
That final victory by the Cavs prompted media outlets to rename Toronto to ‘LeBronto,’ a clear nod to the superstar’s dominance over the franchise. Not only did he single-handedly crush their playoff ambitions year after year, but he can be directly tied to the Raptors’ decision to break up their iconic backcourt duo, which came a few months after that 2018 loss.
Looking back, that era was a difficult time for the Raptors and a borderline embarrassment. They had absolutely no answer for LeBron, and it’s something that will haunt them for many years to come. It wasn’t until 2019 (when Kawhi Leonard led them to the title) that they finally broke through, but it remains a sensitive subject for Raptors fans.
If nothing else, you have to credit Kevin Love for his bravery here. As LeBron’s co-star during his Cleveland run, he saw for himself how things went down in Toronto, and he knows the damage that it did to that franchise. To bring it up now, at a celebration event years later, is certainly an interesting choice, but it doesn’t sound like he has any regrets.