Can This Sixers Guard Make a Case for the Basketball Hall of Fame?
Being enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame is an honor and a privilege reserved for only the elite players. However, over time, the Hall of Fame has evolved to include not just the elite but also those who have left a lasting impact. Some fans have debated whether certain players should be inducted, or even have their jersey retired, such as Vince Carter or Vlade Divac. I bring this up because there is a Philly native who could retire in the next year or so, which may make a case for being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The player that I’m bringing up is Kyle Lowry, who is approaching his 20th season in the NBA. Lowry came into the league as the 24th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, selected by the Memphis Grizzlies. He spent under three seasons with the Grizzlies before being a part of a three-team trade that will send Lowry to the Houston Rockets. Same situation in Memphis as Lowry was traded to the Toronto Raptors, after spending less than three seasons in H-Town. This move was crucial in Lowry’s development as he became part of the dynamic tandem in the North with DeMar DeRozan. They played around six seasons together, making the Eastern Conference Finals only once. The duo was broken up during the 2018-2019 season, when Deebo was traded for Kawhi Leonard. That tradeoff led to the Raptors' first championship in franchise history. After that championship run, the Klaw left Toronto for the Clippers in the 2019 offseason, and Lowry was traded in the 2021 offseason. That trade was to send Lowry to the Miami Heat, where he spent less than three seasons with the franchise. Those three seasons included one finals appearance, in 2023, where they fell to the Denver Nuggets. After his stint in Miami, he made his way back home to Philly, where he is now a part of the Sixers franchise.
Now that the recap of the Philly native is done, let’s take a look at his case for being enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Lowry was an all-star six times in a row, all as a Raptor. He was nominated to the All-NBA third team for the 2015-16 season. Lowry’s biggest accomplishment was winning the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2019 as a Raptor. Now, while these awards appear light, there are a few more numbers that might solidify his place in the Hall of Fame. He is ranked 19th in all-time assists,13th in all-time three-point field goals made, and 24th in all-time triple-doubles. One last thing to say is that Lowry is an Olympic Gold Medalist. He was part of the 2016 U.S. Men’s Olympic basketball team that harbored household names in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Class of 2025 Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.
As I mentioned, Lowry is entering his 20th season in the NBA, joining eleven other players who have done so. However, he’s the third active player to do so, joining LeBron James and Chris Paul. Lowry has mentioned before that he wanted to retire as a Raptor. It’s a nostalgic trend for players to retire with the team that has made their career, like Dwayne Wade retiring from the Miami Heat, or CP3 retiring as an LA Clippers player. Whether or not Lowry does make it to the Hall of Fame, one thing is for certain: he will get his jersey, number seven, retired by the Raptors franchise. It’s just not possible to get a name like the G.R.O.A.T., aka Greatest Raptor of All Time, and not get your jersey retired. Alas, the 39-year-old vet has an amazing career to look back on when he does decide to hang up his jersey.
