Learn about the current Detroit Pistons assistant coach and veteran player development specialist.
Sidney Lowe is currently an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons, known for his player development and teaching experience in the NBA.
In this article, you’ll learn more about Coach Lowe and his many stops in the NBA as an assistant coach and his head coach tenure at North Carolina State.
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Minnesota Timberwolves (1991-1994)
As a player, Lowe retired in 1990, the last team he played for were the Minnesota Timberwolves, who he began his coaching career with in 1991 as an assistant coach under head coach Jimmy Rodgers. Rodgers was fired in the middle of the 1992-1993 season, leading to Lowe becoming the head coach.
Coach Lowe would finish the remainder of the season with a coaching record of 13-40. He would return the next season as the head coach with a record of 20-62 before being fired after the season.
Lowe notably coached Scott Brooks, Sam Mitchell, Doug West, Luc Longley, Thurl Bailey, and Christian Laettner during his tenure.
Cleveland Cavaliers (1994-1999)
Shortly after, Lowe joined first year head coach Mike Fratello’s coaching staff in Cleveland. He would remain with the team for the next 5 seasons, making the playoffs 3 times, losing in the first round in each one.
Lowe notably coached Mark Price, Brad Daughtery, Hot Rod Williams, Larry Nance, Tyrone Hill, Danny Ferry, Chris Mills, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Vitaly Potapenko. He also was mentored by his fellow assistant coaches Jim Boylan and Ron Rothstein.
Second Stint with Minnesota (1999-2000)
Lowe returned to the Timberwolves a second time as an assistant coach under Flip Saunders. He would reunite with Sam Mitchell and notably coach Kevin Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak, Bobby Jackson, Joe Smith, and Malik Sealy, who unfortunately passed away May 20, 2000, in a car accident.
Vancouver / Memphis Grizzlies (2000-2002)
Lowe was hired as the head coach of the Vancouver grizzlies, who later relocated to Memphis. Lowe’s first season ended with a record of 23–59, nearly avoiding their 6th 60 losing game season.
The Grizzlies would relocate to Memphis after the season. In Lowe’s second season, the team again finished with another record of 23–59. Bryant Reeves suffered a back injury, which resulted in him missing the entire season and later retiring after 6 years in the NBA.
To begin the 2002-2003 season, The Grizzlies lost their first 8 games, which led to Coach Lowe resigning from his position as the head coach, he was replaced by Hubie Brown. This marked Lowe’s last head coaching job in the NBA.
He notably coached Pau Gasol, Mike Bibby, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Bryant Reeves, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and reunited with Doug West from his early Timberwolves tenure.
Third Stint with Minnesota (2004-2005)
Lowe returned to the Timberwolves under head coach Flip Saunders for a short time before Saunders was fired in 2005. Lowe had the opportunity to reunite with Kevin Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak while notably coaching Sam Cassell, Anthony Carter, Fred Hoiberg, Latrell Sprewell, and Mark Madsen.
Detroit Pistons (2005-2006)
Lowe reunited with the Pistons, who he previously played for in 1984. He followed Flip Saunders from their previous year in Minnesota.
He notably worked with Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Richard “Rip” Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince before leaving the team to become the head coach of the Wolfpack men’s basketball in North Carolina.
North Carolina (2006-2011)
Lowe was hired as the head coach of his alumni, the Wolfpack men’s basketball of The University of North Carolina, making him the first African American person to hold this position. In his first season he finished with a record of 20-16. He would wear a red blazer in significant games to honor his former North Carolina State coach, Jim Valvano.
Second Season: Record of 15-16
Third Season: Record of 16-14
The 2009-2010 season brought a record of 20-16, they also were Glenn Wilkes Classic Champions and reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT)
In his final season, they finished 15-16, failing to make any post-season appearance. He later resigned from his position and accepted a buyout. He finished his overall coaching tenure with a record of 86–78 and an overall conference record of 25-55.
Lowe became just the third Wolfpack coach, to win 20 games and defeat the other three North Carolina teams in the ACC (Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest). He is also one of only four North Carolina State coaches to have coached in the ACC Championship game in their first year.
Utah Jazz (2011-2014)
Lowe was hired as an assistant coach under Tyrone Corbin. The team only made one playoff appearance in Coach Corbin’s tenure in 2012.
Lowe notably coached Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Richard Jefferson, Mo Williams, Brandon Rush, and Rudy Gobert.
Fourth Stint with Minnesota (2014-2016)
Lowe reunited with the Timberwolves as an assistant coach for a fourth time and temporarily with Flip Saunders for a third time.
Head coach Flip Saunders stepped away from the team as he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, he later passed away on October 25, 2015. Sam Mitchell was named the head coach after Saunders departed after the pre-season. Lowe coached Mitchell during his first stint with the Timberwolves.
Lowe reunited with Kevin Garnett and notably coached Ricky Rubio, Gorgui Dieng, and Nikola Peković. Lowe also worked with Ryan Saunders, the son of Flip and future head coach of the Timberwolves.
Washington Wizards (2016-2018)
Lowe reunited with Scott Brooks in Washington as an assistant coach, who he coached in Minnesota. In his first season, the Wizards finished with a record of 49–33, losing in the conference semi-finals to the Boston Celtics in 7 games.
On January 19, 2017, during a game against the New York Knicks, Coach Lowe was temporarily on the court between an official and Courtney Lee near the 3-point line. Lowe then moved back behind the sideline as Lee received the ball. This caused controversy since Lee claimed to have been “distracted” which prevented a possible game tying 3.
“I thought it was one of their players because I was getting ready to shoot and in my peripheral you see a body right there and he is saying, ‘I am right here! I am right here! I got your stunt!'” Lee said. “Usually in basketball terminology, that is a switch or I am going to jump out, so I shot-faked and drove. I still should have shot the shot.” – Courtney Lee
The Wizards won 113-110 in regulation in New York. The NBA referee’s last 2 minute after the game mentioned that Coach Lowe should have been issued a technical foul for his action. The Wizards were fined $15,000 while Lowe was fined $5000 for “standing on the playing court and potentially impacting game action”. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich at the time believed Lowe should have received a harsher punishment.
He left the team to join Dwane Casey‘s staff in Detroit in 2018. Lowe notably coached John Wall, Bradley Beal, Brandon Jennings, Markieff Morris, Kelly Oubre, Otto Porter Jr, and Jodie Meeks.
Second Stint with Detroit (2018-2021)
Lowe returned to the Pistons in 2018 under head coach Dwane Casey as a top assistant coach. He notably coached Andre Drummond, Zaza Pachulia, Blake Griffin, Luke Kennard, Derrick Rose, Christian Wood, and Isaiah Stewart.
In 2018, Lowe was featured on NBATV teaching a recover move on defense.
Return to Cleveland (2021-2024)
Lowe joined J.B. Bickerstaff’s coaching staff in Cleveland in 2021. He notably coached Kevin Love, Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Colin Sexton, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Caris Lavert, and Isaac Okoro.
Third Stint with Detroit (2024-)
Lowe, returned to the Detroit Pistons for the 3rd time in his coaching career in 2024 under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who he previously served under in Cleveland.
Lowe’s third tenure with the team is still ongoing as of January 16, 2025.
It’s no surprise that Sidney Lowe is known around the Minnesota and Detroit areas, consider it how often he would return to those two teams in his career. Lowe had worked with numerous players during his coaching career, trying his best as a coach and a teacher to develop and shape the players we see on the court daily.
Thumbnail Credit: Rikster2 via Wikimedia Commons
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