By now you’ve likely already seen that photo on Kyle O’Quinn’s Instagram account of a much slimmer looking Kyle Lowry.
(In case you haven’t got a look yet here it is again for good measure.)
After the initial shock of seeing the Toronto Raptors guard looking so much different, the immediate question that comes to mind is, “why?”
Lowry became an all-star last season thanks in no small part because of the power and pressure he’s able to put onto opposing point guards mainly due to a physicality that’s greatly aided by his stockier frame.
So, why would he want to lose what appeared to be a real asset to his game? Lowry sat down with fitness and nutrition website Stack.com to answer that very question.
It started during [last] season, and even before that. I was talking to my wife, and she said “You were always your best at your college weight.” The saying is, the older you get, the lighter you’ve got to be. I thought Ray Allen did a great job of that, and Chauncey Billups too. I’m getting to the point where I’m a little bit older. I’m still young, but I’m a little bit older, and I can pick and choose how I want my body to look and feel. It’s good to understand your body. I want to be special. At the end of the day it’s all about me and how I feel and what I can provide for my team and my family.
Despite the less imposing frame, Lowry doesn’t think his new body will affect his on-court physicality.
Who said I won’t be [physical]? I’m still lifting, still moving the same way I used to. So there’s no change in that. I’m going to play the best basketball I can play. I’ve always tried to be stronger than people and just a bigger bully. People are making a big deal out of something. I’ve always worked hard. This is just me changing up the way I do it, the way I dieted and the way I eat, the way I grind. I’ve always worked hard, it’s just now I’m smarter and older and I know how to work.