Among Yao Ming's former teammates, he is the only one still playing in the NBA!

I saw a photo and it immediately reminded me of many things.

Lowry's body has changed significantly.

According to earlier reports, Lowry signed a one-year, $3.63 million veteran minimum contract with the Raptors, and he will begin his 20th season this year.

This makes him the 12th player ever to reach 20+ seasons and the second point guard in history to achieve this after Chris Paul.

He is currently the fifth oldest active player, behind Gibson (39), Tucker (40), Paul (40), and James (40). Last season, Lowry played 35 games for the 76ers, averaging 18.8 minutes, 3.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.

Beyond playing, he also joined Amazon's NBA On Prime as a game analyst, starting a dual role as both player and commentator.

The Amazon Prime team includes Kevin Harlan, Van Gundy, Wade, Nash, Griffin, Nowitzki, among others. Prime, along with NBC and ESPN, will handle nationwide NBA broadcasts next season.

Longtime Rockets fans surely have strong feelings about him.

Strictly speaking, he is the only one of Yao Ming's teammates still playing in the NBA, right?

Why say "strictly speaking"?

Garrnett Temple of the Raptors was nominally Yao's teammate but they never actually played together on the court.

At the start of the 2009-2010 season, he joined the Houston Rockets as an undrafted rookie.

Yao Ming missed the entire 2009-2010 season due to a stress fracture in his left foot's navicular bone, and Temple only played 9 games for the Rockets before being waived that season.

They briefly overlapped on the Rockets’ roster, so technically they were teammates at the same time.

But Lowry is different; he fought alongside Yao, creating a completely different emotional connection for Chinese fans.

Besides the "Little Steel Cannon," there were also Sean Battier, Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks, Brent Barry, Chuck Hayes.

And also, Uncle Mu who has passed on to another world...

Back then, Lowry was still a young sidekick to Yao, competing with Brooks for playing time.

Time flies, Yao has been retired for 14 years now.

Unexpectedly, Lowry has achieved such great success.

The phrase "late bloomer" fits him perfectly.

He wasn’t an All-Star before age 27, but then made 6 All-Star appearances in 9 years and even won a championship ring.

He’s not a superstar like Paul or Curry with massive fame.

However, he has been diligent and dedicated.

His peak undoubtedly came in 2019, when Lowry, as a core member of the Raptors, helped the team win its first-ever NBA championship.

He performed excellently in the Finals, averaging 15 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, playing a key role in their title run.

In terms of overall achievements, he can be considered among the greatest players in Raptors history.

Looking back more than a decade ago, who would have thought...

Lowry is a player very hard to dislike.

From a technical style perspective, none of his skills particularly stand out.

But his three-point shooting, ball handling, defense, and team spirit have all brought immense value to his teams.

Finally, I really like a statement Lowry made:

I earned $300 million playing basketball and changed my family's fate, but the real heroes are everyday hardworking people.

I make tens of millions a year playing on the court, while some people spend an hour and a half on the bus every day just to get to work.

I believe those who strive and do their best to support their families are the true heroes. I understand that feeling, that pressure is real pressure.

Just like his playing style, it’s simple and genuine.

Indeed, he is a great player.