Wildcat Raptor: The Evolution of Kyle Lowry

Looking at the past, present and future of Kyle Lowry. With a cameo appearance by Kobe Bryant.

It’s funny how certain moments can present themselves. When you combine Kyle Lowry’s outstanding performance against Golden State with what’s next on the schedule, it was only fitting that it came on the cusp of Kobe Bryant suiting up in Toronto for the very last time.

On a side note: The majority of fan reaction was positive (as it should have been), but the amount of negativity expressed through social media over the end result was shocking. I understand that DeRozan failed to show up, and that Scola and Biyombo were exposed in a small-ball environment, but doesn’t the overall effort deserve better? Patterson finally came back to life, Bebe’s emergence continued, and K-Low went toe-to-toe with arguably the best player on the planet. It’s like fans decided to channel their inner Steven A. Smith. I can only assume those same naysayers actually agree with his recent assessment — One that states Mark Jackson should receive the most amount of credit for the Warriors’ historic start.

Let’s get back to the real world, shall we.

I’ve been thinking of writing an article with Lowry as its main topic for quite a while. I was just waiting for him to pass my own personal eye test.

There’s no debating the fact that this team will only go as far as Lowry takes them. He’s proved that time and time again. But considering his turbulent track record, we’ve always kept our guard up when deciding if he could truly jump into the “elite” conversation.

On the surface, a feeling of déjà vu is bound to set in. Around this time last year, Lowry was playing at the same optimum level. He was worthy of being put into the MVP conversation then as much as he is now. To compare, let’s look at both reference points:

In the middle of last December, Lowry was a top-10 staple across numerous categories: Assists per game, Total Free-Throw Attempts, PER, Win Shares, Charges Drawn, VORP, Offensive Box Plus/Minus, and Rebounds among Point Guards.

Many argued that those rankings were due to an inflated usage rate after DeRozan got hurt. Well, when you fast forward to the present, only his Assists and Charges Drawn are missing from that resume.

Both, however, come with a tradeoff that should be welcomed with open arms. Ranking 1st overall in Total Steals (2nd per game) and 3rd overall in Total Threes (4th per game) has sent his current value into overdrive.

The fact that his assists are down, though still at a highly respectable number of 6.2, and that he’s not sacrificing his body to draw charges like the Lowry of old (he finished in the top five in each of last two seasons) shouldn’t be seen as a concern. Especially when considering the reasons for it can only lead to the Raps as a whole taking the next step.

And in hindsight, NBA GM’s are kicking themselves for not making a push for Cory Joseph. His presence has proven to be nothing short of a Free Agency steal. He’s allowed Lowry to incorporate the side of his game that was previously held in check.

When on the floor together, the days of Lowry overcompensating on defense is now a thing of the past. He’s now getting the opportunity to freelance and move around without so much ball-handling responsibility. The beauty of it all is that when Lowry’s with the starting unit, they still get the traditional aspects of his game.

Now, what made me so skeptical coming into the year was seeing a few of those top 10’s from last season starting to plummet as the year went on. By the time the month of March rolled around, his Win Shares fell from 6th to 19th, his Free-Throw Attempts regressed from 10th to 16th, and his 9th overall PER took a nosedive all the way down to 60th.

Depending on which angle you want to take, various reasons as to why the slide took place exist. Chief among them being his heavy workload which led to an injury-filled wear and tear. Not to mention an unworthy supporting cast, or even his own lack of trust when given the chance to involve the frontcourt.

All three were made worse when he decided to force the wrong issues. Whether it was gambling on defense, encouraging isolations, or not even allowing the team to set up shop on offense with risky passes from half court becoming a nightly occurrence.

However, we’re seeing a new and improved K-Low these days:

It’s one thing to be in the midst of a career-high average in threes per game (3.0), but it’s a whole different way of life when he’s backing them up with a career high percentage (41.7%) while also attempting them at a higher rate than ever before. His trademark three in transition has become a calculated weapon, and at the same time his awareness of knowing when to push and when to pull back has helped set a new tone. The club’s offensive struggles notwithstanding.

Perhaps so much time spent “off ball” has allowed him to see what he needed to improve upon when he’s the primary facilitator. Perhaps the club adding two point guards in the offseason lit the necessary fire under him. Or maybe I just should have had more faith in why I was so high on him to begin with.

Saturday night was also a prime example of Lowry knowing when to unleash a takeover. With the Warriors able to answer every run the Raps could muster, Toronto ultimately wasn’t going to compete if you didn’t.

There is no answer for Steph Curry. His range and ability to get shots up in the blink of an eye are essentially unstoppable. But the fact that Lowry took over within the framework of the offense was impressive to say the least. Which is seemingly the difference between him and DeRozan.

It was almost inevitable Golden State would match every move. Scratch that, a perfect 21-0 record says there’s no such thing as “almost.”

Curry reminds me of Kobe in his prime: Unflappable confidence combined with a deadly killer instinct.

Come Monday night, there’s always a chance Kobe turns back the clock. I can safely say it won’t be an encore of his 81-point onslaught but he still must be accounted for. With that said, it’s time he re-enters the conversation.

Lakers vs. Raptors

The Kobe Connection

Even though Kobe’s doing his best Derek Jeter impression, and his farewell tour is somewhat taking away from the Lakers’ rebuild, I’d say 20 years of service earns one the right to go out on their own terms.

From my own experience, I’ve come across a love-hate relationship whenever a Kobe conversation starts up. Either you’re an all-in superfan or simply turned off by his perceived arrogance.

Growing up, I was never the one who rocked a Kobe jersey or particularly drawn to his personality. He provided a landscape where one would tend to root for the underdog when facing him.

But that’s just a testament to his talent. Often times, when a player reaches his level, there’s usually a point where they begin to be cast as the villain. Or at least, whenever the media feeds the public that narrative. Though that never really happened with Jordan…

At the same time, just by watching this final run, I genuinely believe he’s gained an appreciation for what the game has given him. Since his retirement poem was released, Lakers’ games have been must-see television. The NBA won’t be the same without him.

The fallout will be similar to the years after Vince Carter’s departure. Critics will make noise, but after a while, they’ll start to reminisce about the good old days.

Which in turn, connects back to Lowry. And where he sits when one thinks of Toronto’s past, present and future:

Ever since his collegiate days playing for the Wildcats of Villanova, it was easy to see he had a bright future. His aggressive style was his calling card back then the same as it is now. And speaking of underdogs, it doesn’t take much to see why Lowry became the center of Toronto’s attention.

He was overlooked when selected 24th overall in the 2006 NBA draft by Memphis — 17 picks after his Wildcat running-mate, and the more thought of prospect at the time, Randy Foye.

A grand total of 19 picks made in that first round are now seeking employment outside of the NBA. An astonishing number when you add in the fact that 15 of those players were picked ahead of Lowry. Not to mention 13 ahead of Rajon Rondo.

And in case that draft slipped your mind, little did the Raps know that their future franchise player was a six-foot, passed-over Point Guard from Philly instead of the one known at the time as Andrea “Baby Dirk” Bargnani. You know the rest of that story.

During his two-year tour with the Grizzlies, Lowry never managed to surpass the 26-minute per game mark. All the while playing second fiddle to organizational favorite Mike Conley. Over the course of his four-year stay in Houston, he received relatively the same treatment having to fend off another rising star for playing time in Goran Dragic.

His time in a Raptors’ uniform has been a roller-coaster. Accusations of selfish play, and at times being disengaged, were repeated by many when he first got here. There was even a time when the majority of fans were simply fed up and demanded a trade. But as we should now realize, it’s hard to fathom what the Raps would look like if a deal actually took place. The rumored trade with the Knicks was supposedly a done deal. Thank you for putting a stop to that transaction, James Dolan.

I often think back to the days when the Raps were on the verge of getting league-wide recognition for the very first time. When they were actually being showcased on NBC’s Game of the Week. Carter’s popularity was entering a new stratosphere, along with fellow member of the future elite, Tracy Mcgrady, as his right-hand man.

After Mcgrady fled to Orlando and the mockery of a trade that sent Vince packing to New Jersey, those heights of success began to unravel with only small doses of hope to enjoy during the Chris Bosh era.

I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that it has been Lowry who’s led this franchise back to relevance. And if my own personal eye test is accurate, he’ll be the main reason why Toronto advances further than any other era of players did before him.

My guard is officially down, as most indications point to the evolution of Kyle Lowry reaching a level of new heights. I recommend we all just sit back and enjoy the ride.