It’s always weird when NBA coaches are young enough to remember playing against current players, especially when they were rookies. Kyle Lowry came into the NBA in 2006, eight years into Tyronn Lue’s 11-year NBA career that ended in 2009. Now, Lue is the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and on the other side of the Eastern Conference Finals is Lowry, an All-Star point guard for the Toronto Raptors.
Lue told a story to Cavs broadcaster Fred McLeod before Cleveland’s Game 1 blowout win that shows how far Lowry has come. Early on, Lowry told Lue he wanted to be just like him. Lue told the rookie to aim higher, and he did.
Ty says as rookie, he took Kyle Lowry under his wing..Lowry said then, "I want to be another Ty Lue"..Ty told him "you can be much better"
— Fred McLeod (@CavsFredMcLeod) May 17, 2016
Today, there’s no question who’s the better player. Lue had a long NBA career, but he was never much more than a role player and was never an All-Star like Lowry is. But Lowry wasn’t always this good. He played just 10 games his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies, and didn’t truly blossom until he got to Toronto in 2012, despite a few promising years in Houston.
It looks like the advice from the now-head coach sunk in, and maybe someday Lowry will take a young player who wants to be “another Kyle Lowry” under his wing to keep the cycle going.
