Philadelphia 76ers center Paul Reed recently shed light on what it’s like having Kyle Lowry as a teammate. After joining the 76ers in February, it appears Lowry has made a positive impact on the team. So much so that Reed has said Lowry is “like a coach” to the team:
“He does a lot, man,” Reed told Sixers Wire. “Having a veteran guy like that, that has experience and championship games and knows ins and outs of the NBA and referees and all that. I mean, it’s a huge plus because he’s a great leader. He leads. Not just me, but he leads everybody on the team and guiding everybody to do the right thing. He’s like a coach for real.”
Earlier this season, the Miami Heat traded Lowry to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Terry Rozier. Charlotte bought him out before he appeared in a game, however, before signing with Philadelphia. In 19 games played for the 76ers so far, the 38-year-old has started 16 of them. During his 76ers tenure, Lowry is averaging 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.
Philadelphia 76ers Big Man Considers Teammate “a Coach” to Him
Paul Reed’s Not the Ony Sixer to Praise Kyle Lowry
Lowry has been in the league since 2006. Since then, he has been selected to six All-Star teams and one All-NBA Team. Additionally, he is a one-time NBA champion and has appeared in two NBA Finals. Naturally, he has had his fair share of experiences in the league. Because of this, it’s understandable for Lowry to take on a veteran role at this stage in his career. And alongside Reed, it appears Lowry has made an impact on other guys on the team. All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey has also talked about what it means to have Lowry as his teammate:
“He’s going to tell you the truth,” Maxey said. “He don’t believe in sugarcoating. And that’s with everybody, the whole staff.” “Kyle is going to keep it 50 times two at all times,” Reed said.
Kyle Lowry nails the Sixers' 18th triple of the night to cap off an 8-0 run and push the lead back to 15! pic.twitter.com/ycNG7oBV84
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 1, 2024
Additionally, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, who coached Lowry and the Toronto Raptors to a championship in 2019, has publicly praised Lowry’s leadership:
“I think it always helps just in general when you’ve got a guy on the floor that’s going to make the right plays,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse, who also coached Lowry in Toronto, said. “And he’s also an incredibly gifted leader. He’s going to influence playing the right way. He’s added already a bunch of stuff, I think. He’s gotten us more organized. He’s pretty forceful when he wants a play run a certain way. He makes sure it gets done. He’s pretty demanding about some other things that I think we’re doing better than we were a month ago as well.”
The Last Word
Although his best days are behind him, Lowry is still valuable in the league. The Villanova alum has not made it clear when he plans to retire. However, he has revealed his desire to retire with the team he won a title with. With roughly two weeks remaining this season, it’s possible Lowry is gearing up for what could be his final playoff run.
