There isn’t much that stumps Toronto Raptors’ star Kyle Lowry, on or off the court. But one question put forward by a 13-year-old reporter ahead of Game 5 managed to do just that.
Lowry had been answering questions at a media conference after training on Sunday when Arjun Ram, a kid contributor with CBC Kids News, came forward. At this point, Lowry had been answering with his usual professional stoicism — but when Ram asked him what it felt like to be an “icon all over Canada for kids” Lowry had to give take a moment.
“That’s a crazy question, I ain’t never been asked that one,” Lowry responded, clearly astonished.
But, after a few seconds, he gave Ram, and Canadian kids across the country, a winning answer.
“I’ll put it this way, man, I was once a kid,” Lowry said. “I was once in your shoes, and to be able to know kids one day will want to be like me, I hold myself to a super-high standard.”
He said he hoped Ram and other kids saw a man that’s “really professional, really about his business” but still “fun and loving it.”
This isn’t the first time Lowry’s shown himself as a great example. After a spectator shoved him during Game 3 of the NBA Finals, he remained calm.
He said later that he kept his composure because he wanted to be a good example for his kids.
Lowry also made sure Ram knew how he felt about the question before moving on to the next one.
“That’s a crazy question right there, boy,” he said before looking at the next reporter. “You can’t beat that question ... You can try, but you can’t beat that question.”
Ram has skills in both asking and answering the tough questions. He was a contestant on “Canada’s Smartest Person Junior” when he was 12. Besides being able to solve complex math problems, debate, and interview, Ram’s bio says he’s also poised to become Ontario’s “next rap superstar.”
A bit of an icon in the making, you might say.
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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story referred to Arjun Ram as a young reporter with CBC Kids. In fact, he is a kid contributor with CBC Kids News.