Raptors: Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam appear on “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets”

The Toronto Raptors have long enjoyed the comedic stylings of Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam, as the future Hall of Famer and Cameroonian star have established themselves as pivotal figures in Raptors franchise history. Despite that, perhaps due to their geographically isolated location, the larger basketball landscape hasn’t seen as much of these two as they should have.

Jimmy Kimmel’s “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” is a perfect segment to show a lighter side of some top athletes. The tweets in question can range from hilarious and creative jabs to some poorly-conceived attacks, both of which players react to with laughter and aggression.

With actor Anthony Anderson filling in as a guest host, the latest edition featured retired stars like Shaquille O’Neal and Grant Hill in addition to some rising stars of today like Ja Morant and Trae Young. Lowry and Siakam both ended up in this segment, where they took on some haters on Twitter.

One fan claimed that Lowry looks like a “where’s my hug” type of guy, and Lowry seemed to welcome that based on his reaction. One grammatically challenged fan wasn’t as kind to Siakam, as he stumbled his way through a clumsy insult. Siakam chose to kill him with kindness, laughing off the attempted barb.

Some fans weren’t too nice to Raptors stars Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam.

It’s a stressful time to be a Raptors fan. Lowry might bolt the team in free agency, Siakam is recovering from a shoulder injury, they could go in 26 different directions with the No. 4 pick, and we still don’t know if they’ll play in Toronto next year. At least the two stars can come in to add some levity.

Despite the pair’s premier status on one of the most consistent teams in the entire league, Lowry and Siakam’s electric personalities have been criminally underpromoted. Just look at Siakam and former teammate Kawhi Leonard’s back-and-forth at the All-Star game. If Siakam can make Kawhi laugh, that proves his elite comedic timing.

Lowry has long been one of the most quotable players in the league, as his mix of off-the-wall humor and deadpan delivery have helped endear him to the media and fanbase alike. It’s a shame that he isn’t getting the same coverage as other players of his caliber, because he can be a riot.

It might have only been a momentary glimpse, but it’s nice to see the American media finally embracing some Raptors stars and showing off their personality. Let’s just try to keep everything G-rated so that they don’t end up back here too often.