Kyle Lowry is still endeared to his hometown fans, who gave him a loud ovation when he was announced in the Raptors' starting lineup Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Philadelphia native and Villanova product receives warm welcomes when he plays the Sixers, and the Raptors are just as happy to call him their own for the last five seasons.
“Kyle is Kyle,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said before the Raptors’ 123-114 win (see story). “He’s a pain in the butt sometimes … but I’ll tell you what, he’s our pain in the butt and we love him.”
Lowry grew up in North Philadelphia and attended Cardinal Dougherty High School. He played two years of college ball at Villanova, including an Elite Eight run, before being drafted 24th overall by the Grizzlies in 2006.
The 30-year-old Lowry has developed into a veteran presence on the playoff-contending Raptors. In addition to being a two-time All-Star, he was a member of the gold medal-winning United States Olympic men’s basketball team this summer.
“He’s been an excellent leader for us by example and you know what you’re going to get,” Casey said. “He reminds me so much of Gary Payton. … He’s ornery but yet still he’s a winner. You can say, ‘Kyle Lowry is a winner.’ It started back in North Philly growing up and carried over to Villanova and all throughout his career.”
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Lowry scored 20 points with seven assists and four rebounds against the Sixers. Following the game, he had a large group of fans waiting for him in the stands.
