Kyle Lowry is joining a new team without leaving his current team.
Prime Video announced Thursday it has hired Lowry — the Philadelphia 76ers guard who’s entering his 20th pro season — as an “NBA on Prime” analyst. It’s a multiyear deal with Lowry “making select appearances” this season, Prime said, adding that he will have “increased responsibilities in the future.”
Prime’s NBA coverage will begin Oct. 24 with a doubleheader: the Boston Celtics at the New York Knicks followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Los Angeles Lakers. Lowry is expected to have some role that night; the 76ers do not have a game that evening.
“I’m excited to start the next chapter of my basketball journey with the Prime Sports team,” Lowry said. “The talent they’ve assembled is incredible, and together we’ll deliver something fresh and special for basketball fans worldwide. It’s an honor to be part of this from Day One, and I’m committed to sharing the insights I’ve gained from my career through ‘NBA on Prime’ for years to come.”
Lowry transitioning to television seemed inevitable when his playing days end — whenever that happens. He has enormous popularity among his fellow players as well as coaches, some of whom have noted he sees the game differently than many players. And that ability should serve him well in the new role.
“Kyle’s a throwback,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said last year of his former point guard. “You can’t just look at his numbers or his points per game or whatever. It’s the impact that he has on winning.”
The 39-year-old Lowry played in college at Villanova before entering the NBA in 2006. He’ll be only the 12th player in NBA history to be in the league for 20 or more seasons and just the second point guard to achieve that feat. Chris Paul, now of the Los Angeles Clippers, played his 20th last season with the San Antonio Spurs.
Lowry is a six-time NBA All-Star, won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, was part of the Toronto Raptors team that won the NBA title in 2019 and has said many times he will retire as part of the Raptors, even if it means signing a one-day contract.
“We look forward to Kyle’s contributions to our team both this season as an active player and in the future,” said Amina Hussein, Prime’s head of on-air sports talent in the U.S. “His authentic personality and deep understanding of today’s game will offer viewers unique analysis as we deliver NBA coverage that celebrates the game and educates fans around the world.”
Prime Video joins the NBA coverage world this season with the league’s 11-year, $76 billion series of rights deals set to begin.
Amazon will show 66 regular-season games on Prime this season, with Thursday night doubleheaders beginning in January, Friday evening doubleheaders, select Saturday afternoon games and the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game of the NBA Cup in-season tournament.
Prime also will show all six games in the play-in tournament and has part of the league’s playoff coverage as well.