The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2010s, ranked

35) Kyle Lowry

By the time Kyle Lowry was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2012, he was more of a fringe starter than an all-star but he developed into one in his late 20s. Lowry had stops in Memphis and Houston but failed to carve out a reliable starting role, partly due to his lack of 3-point shooting but he developed into one with the Rockets and once he found a consistent role, he thrived.

In his second season with the Raptors, during the 2013–14 season, he saw his scoring jump by 6.3 points to 17.9 points per game in addition to averaging 7.4 assists—both career highs at the time. The following year, he would make the first of six straight all-star teams, including five in the 2010s, while playing alongside fellow star DeMar DeRozan.

They would turn the Raptors into a perennial playoff team, making five straight playoff appearances, though DeRozan would be traded in a deal for Kawhi Leonard in 2018 and Lowry would help them win their first championship and establish himself as the greatest player in franchise history. In total, Lowry played in 764 games during the 2010s and averaged 15.1 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.4 rebounds, while making five all-star teams. That makes him one of the best point guards of his era.