On the Brink: Predicting the fates of 16 borderline NBA Hall of Famers
By Cal Durrett
14) Kyle Lowry
Six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry is one of the more surprising borderline candidates considering that it took him eight seasons to make the All-Star team. Lowry was taken 24th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2006 and spent two and a half seasons there and three and a half seasons in Houston before being traded to the Toronto Raptors, where he carved out a starting role.
There, he thrived playing alongside DeMar DeRozan and helped lead the Raptors to their best stretch of success in franchise history. Over nine seasons in Toronto, Lowry averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while serving as the second-best player on their championship team in 2019.
Those aren't overwhelming numbers, but he made an all-star team each of his last six seasons there, as well as an All-NBA team. Coupled with a championship, he has an outside chance of making it in. That being said, should Lowry make the Hall of Fame?
Lowry was consistently good and has had an impressively long career, playing 18 seasons so far. Be that as it may, he was never considered to be among the five best players at his position; even despite making All-NBA one year. His counting stats are above-average: 16,200 points and 7,000 assists but not eye-popping. Then again, his numbers are fairly similar to Chauncey Billups', who was recently inducted.
He, like Lowry, didn't have overwhelming numbers but was a championship point guard and a six-time all-star and made it in. Billups probably had a bigger impact on winning and is arguably more deserving but Lowry has better numbers so I expect him to make it in.