Kyle Lowry Jokes Villanova Knicks Didn’t Want Him

The New York Knicks passed on Kyle Lowry in free agency before he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 14, 2024

Apr 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) shoot the ball against the New York Knicks during the second half of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been collecting former Villanova Wildcats like infinity stones as they try to form a team that can compete for a championship.

However, they have seemingly isolated a Villanova free agent this offseason. Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry was a free agent this summer looking for a new team. However, after not receiving interest from the Knicks, Lowry signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, who picked him up earlier in the season after the Charlotte Hornets bought him out following a trade from the Miami Heat.

Lowry played in a charity golf tournament and he was introduced as a former Wildcat that didn't join the Knicks. Lowry had a very telling response from the tee box.

“They didn’t want me”

Kyle Lowry did not get an invite to join the Villanova Knicks 😂 pic.twitter.com/mEmnkoxyEM
— NBC Sports Bay Area & CA (@NBCSAuthentic) July 14, 2024

While the Knicks could have added Lowry to the "Nova Knicks" tandem, he went to school there from 2004-06, about a decade before any of the other players on the team. Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Mikal Bridges aren't necessarily not cool with Lowry, but their relationship with him is different than the relationship between the four of them.

The Knicks could have benefitted from a point guard, but they selected Marquette's Tyler Kolek with the No. 34 overall pick in the NBA Draft and kept Miles McBride on the roster despite trade interest from around the league.

On the flip side, Lowry gets to stay in Philadelphia, where he grew up and has family. At 38 years old, Lowry is one of the older players in the NBA, and he remains one of the most knowledgable. He made six All-Star teams with the Toronto Raptors from 2015-20 and won a championship with them alongside Kawhi Leonard in 2019.

Today, Lowry isn't what he used to be, but he is still capable of being a strong contributor off the bench in the NBA. Last season with the 76ers and Heat, he averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 assists per game.

While he could have been beneficial with the Knicks, New York is happy with who it has in the point guard rotation. Perhaps Lowry will use the Knicks' lack of interest as fuel in the upcoming season.

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Published Jul 14, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.