Kyle Lowry felt the New York Knicks' Wildcat litter was big enough.
The modern Knicks' fortunes have been built with the talents of Villanova University alumni, as the reliable efforts of Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart currently have New York (41-27) situated in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Hart has remained on the prowl for other former Wildcats (i.e. Brooklyn Nets franchise face Mikal Bridges) to join the cause and a prime opportunity to recruit came shortly after the NBA trade deadline.
Villanova NBA staple Kyle Lowry was on the free agent ledger after the Miami Heat traded him and a first-round pick to Charlotte in exchange for Terry Rozier. Lowry was released by the Hornets and immediately became a sought-after veteran commodity. True to form, Hart made his intentions to Lowry immediately clear, texting the former South Floridian mere moments after he was granted his buyout release from the Hornets
"I texted his (butt)," Hart said in a Lowry profile penned by James Herbert of CBS Sports. "I told him, 'Pull up.' Told him, 'F*** with us.' But, obviously, that didn't happen, so f*** him."
Lowry instead returned to a location familiar to all Wildcats: Philadelphia. The six-time All-Star and native of The City of Brotherly Love once again plays his games at Wells Fargo Center, which frequently hosts high-profile Villanova showcases, having signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Hart never shared Villanova hardwood with Lowry, whose NBA career was well underway when the former became a Wildcat in 2013. Lowry was part of Villanova's first new-century glory days that eventually paved the way to two national championships in 2016 and 2018. Hart was part of the first victorious group while Brunson and DiVincenzo got to partake in both.
The couple of Cats have nonetheless grown close off the floor, with Hart mentioning that Lowry is "there, no matter what it is." That's a stark contrast to their current relationship on the floor: despite his advanced age (turning 38 next Monday), Lowry remains a formidable opponent, especially on the Knicks' ledgers. When the Knicks and Heat met in last season's Eastern Conference Semifinals, Lowry averaged 12.2 points and 5.7 assists off the bench in a six-game South Beach victory.
Hart mentioned that Lowry helped change the course of the series early on: with the Knicks down by three with under five minutes remaining, Lowry swiped an offensive rebound from Mitchell Robinson that turned into a Gabe Vincent triple on the other end. That ignited a 9-1 run for Miami that permanently placed momentum on its side en route to a 108-101 win a 1-0 series lead.
Lowry had a role in every point, creating the steal that led to Vincent's three, assisting on a Bam Adebayo double, and putting in four tallies of his own.
"As a friend, you love to see the success that he's had in the league and the longevity that he's had in the league," Hart said of Lowry, a 2019 champion with the Toronto Raptors. "(Bu as an opponent), you hate playing against someone like that ... a heady player, able to make winning plays in the midst of chaos."
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