Kyle Lowry’s decision to attend his hometown school in Villanova several years back was influenced largely by then-assistant coach Billy Lange — who now works the sidelines for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Free agency is a complex matter. While team fit and financial stability always plays a role in a player’s decision, a myriad of other factors are often overlooked. The city a team is in matters. The fanbase matters. The coaching staff matters. And perhaps most of all, connections matter — and Kyle Lowry has several with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia 76ers
On the surface, there’s already an obvious connection between the Raptors’ star and the city of Philadelphia. He grew up in Philly, attending Cardinal Daugherty High School on North Second Street and eventually made the decision to stay at home for his collegiate career, opting to play at Villanova. The implications behind that decision, however, are rooted far deeper than some may expect — and they could have a direct impact on Lowry’s interest in joining the Sixers.
Liberty Ballers initially pointed this out.
Current Sixers assistant coach and director of player development, Billy Lange, was an assistant to Villanova head coach Jay Wright at the time of Lowry’s decision. As highlighted in a Grantland piece from Jonathan Abrams, Lange was the one who initially began recruiting Lowry. According to the report, “Lowry bonded with him like he had with few other adults.” It also notes that Lange didn’t attempt to directly influence Lowry’s decision, something that Kyle appreciated.
That relationship took a series of intriguing turns after that, though.
One season after Lowry’s arrival at Villanova, Lange departed for the head coaching spot at Navy — something Lowry was unpleased with. Despite keeping tabs with Lange’s wife, he reportedly refused to communicate with Lange. That lasted until Lowry made the jump to the NBA.
During Lowry’s rookie season, Lange attended the Final Four in Houston — where he decided to reach out to the then-Rockets rookie. They eventually met up, driving around the city as Lowry discussed his grievances. “He was real with it,” Lange said in the report, stating that Lowry was the same kid he had grown to love prior.
At some point, the two eventually rebounded from their fallout.
The report references the many workouts and charity events Lowry holds in Philadelphia over the summer. One of the people he frequently works out with is Lange.
After rekindling their connection, Lowry asked Lange to work out with him in the 2013 offseason, where Lange had this to say in his efforts to revamp their relationship.
"“Look, there’s clearly some deep-rooted issues. I’m always around to talk if you want. I’m not going to force it. But if you don’t grow out of it, those issues are going to haunt you for the rest of your life and then those issues win. You don’t win.”"
Mike Jensen later reported in 2015 that Lange is one of Lowry’s go-to resources for advice.
One thing Kyle Lowry mentioned, Billy Lange, now a Sixers assistant, is still a main outside person he relies on for advice.
— Mike Jensen (@jensenoffcampus) January 11, 2015
All of this is to say that Lowry — for all the surface-level fluff that has been lobbed around in different circles — does have some very real reasons to consider joining the Sixers. Even if winning a championship is a goal of his, a situation in which he is both comfortable and surrounded by a stable support structure could be too appealing to overlook.
Playing alongside a long-time friend with such a massive level of influence is something Lowry didn’t have the chance to do while in Toronto, not to mention the fact that he’d be returning to his hometown to do so. Current Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo is also a friend of Lowry’s, as he was in charge of Toronto’s front office when they initially traded for Lowry.
That’s a pair of friendships in a handful of Philadelphia’s most important positions.
While it may not make Lowry an inherently good fit from a financial standpoint, there are some benefits to adding a playoff savvy veteran to a team looking to make that next step. Not only does he have the systematic resources in the coaching staff and the front office, but he gives the Sixers’ a proven asset and All-Star caliber playmaker to run alongside their youthful core.
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He spaces the floor for Embiid while upping the Sixers’ pick-and-roll potential tenfold over T.J. McConnell’s presence on the floor. He’ll also give them a steadfast presence as Ben Simmons gets his footing as a primary ball handler, providing the perimeter shooting needed to work off of him and the crafty ball handling needed to shoulder that load when required.
He gives Philadelphia a back-up plan, which for the time being, is a solid investment.
It’s connections like the ones with Lange, as well as the city in general, that are going to make joining Philadelphia a palatable move for somebody of Lowry’s status. Both sides seem thoroughly invested, and the positives are enough to merit some legitimate thought towards an eventual pairing this offseason.
While Lowry’s aging game doesn’t line up with the Sixers’ developmental curve, he does afford them the luxuries of mass improvement this upcoming season, rather than betting solely on the Simmons-Embiid dynamic and the requisite health that would have to be maintained.