Kyle Lowry’s connection to the Philadelphia area is undeniable. He starred at Cardinal Dougherty High School in the early 2000’s, and later took a short trip down the road to Villanova to play his college ball. But his ties to the city—and perhaps this particular Sixers team—go deeper than you might imagine.
Some discussion of the topic with people in the know and a little bit of research turned up a person of interest: Billy Lange, current 76ers assistant coach and director of player development. What’s his relation to Lowry? Let Jonathan Abrams—then of Grantland, now of Bleacher Report—tell you the story of how a former Villanova assistant convinced Lowry to stay close to home:
Wright’s assistant, Billy Lange, began recruiting Lowry.