Though NBA fans across the United States tend to agree that Miami Heat point guard Kyle Lowry is one of the better veteran guards in the NBA, one point of criticism that Lowry has faced for years has to do with his weight.
Overall, there is a belief that Lowry is somewhat overweight and could benefit from slimming down a bit.
In an interesting statement, former Heat star Tim Hardaway recently stated that Lowry is not overweight at all and claimed that Lowry wears “football pads” to protect his body amidst the wear and tear of the NBA season.
“I want you to write this,” Hardaway told the Sun Sentinel. “Kyle Lowry is not fat. He’s not fat and overweight. He wears these football pads under him to make him look like he’s bigger. He’s way slimmer than what you think he is. I’ve been telling folks that for the longest. And everybody’s like, ‘No, he’s overweight.’ No, the guy is not overweight. It’s that he needs to stay healthy to stay in shape.”
If this proves to be true, it would put an end to one of the most pervasive memes in recent NBA history. In fact, the jokes have become such a constant that Lowry recently responded to them early last month.
“It used to bother me a lot,” he said. “It used to get to me. It used to really get to me, I’m gonna be honest with you. And now, I don’t care.”
One would assume that if Lowry were simply wearing padding underneath his uniform, he would have said as much and put an end to the lighthearted jokes years ago. At this point, however, it seems like anything could be the truth.
As far as Heat fans are concerned, they likely care little about Lowry’s weight as long as he is producing on the court. He had an okay 2021-22 campaign with the Heat, but his health took a major hit when his teammates needed him most in the playoffs.
Lowry ended up playing in just 10 playoff games as his team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Even in the games he played in, he never looked fully healthy and only averaged 7.8 points per game.
Whatever the truth about Lowry’s weight is, he will surely look to enjoy a more productive campaign with his team in the upcoming season.