Lowes Moore, NBA Star
Peter W. Sherrill – Publicist
SKII: Today, I am at the Boys and Girls Club in Mount Vernon, New York and I’m speaking to Peter, the publicist of the book; and the book is called?
Peter: The book is called, The Lowes Moore Chronicles –From the Boys and Girls Club to the NBA– Life on a Narrow Road.
SKII: Did you guys grow up together in the Boys and Girls Club?
Peter: Yes, we grew up at the Boys and Girls Club. We also went to high school together and played basketball against each other. We’ve known each other for at least fifty years.
SKII: Now you’re working together again, publishing his book. How did that happen? And, what do you do for a living?
Peter: I’m finishing my Master’s Degree, right now. I’ve published several books. The first book that I ever published is in the Sean Brook Museum Library. Lowes and I were talking one day, and I explained to him how he should tell his story; and, we went from there.
SKII: How long did it take to finish this project? Also, I know he was in the NBA. Were you on that journey with him, while he was there?
Peter: It took approximately two years to finish the project and unfortunately, I was not a part of his NBA journey. I ended up in Corporate America. I’m hoping that the book inspires a lot of young adults to keep pushing for what they want for their lives. If you get the chance you should read The Foreward to the book, written by Denzel Washington and his wife, Pauletta where they’re talking about Lowes, and his life. It’s incredible!
Patrice Moore – Wife
SKII: I’m at the Boys and Girls Club in Mt. Vernon, New York and I’m speaking with Mrs. Moore. How did you and Mr. Moore meet?
Patrice: I’ve known of him since I was twelve years old, but we initially met through basketball, when I was a sophomore in high school; actually, through the Boys and Girls Club. He is six years older than I, so while I was playing basketball in middle school in Yonkers, he was playing at Mount Vernon High School. My father loved his maturity and always complimented him on being a nice young man. I always kept that in mind. I started to play basketball and his brother was on the boy’s basketball team and his sister was a cheerleader. I was close to his brothers Curtis and Douglas and his sister, Tracey. That’s how we initially connected. He would come home in the summer from West Virginia and bring his then fiancé who was an awesome basketball player. We would play all summer in leagues and also in the park.
SKII: So, how do you feel about today? He’s out there autographing his first book!
Patrice: I’m feeling very proud and he has a nice story to tell. I feel like a lot of people tell their life stories involving a lot of fiction, but Lowes has a lot of truth, to his story. He’s a good man in the book, and a good man at home. So, I know people will enjoy and be inspired by his story. I’m blessed to have him as my husband.
SKII: Do you have any children?
Patrice: We have four beautiful children by birth, but we’ve helped raise a lot of other children, too. Our eldest daughter is twenty-nine, and she’s an assisted principal, in the Bronx, NY. Our youngest daughter is an assistant basketball coach, in New Haven, Conn. Our oldest son is a senior at Occidental College, in Los Angeles, CA who’ll be graduating in May, in Economics and Vocal Performance. Our youngest son is paralyzed – born with a spinal disorder, but plays wheelchair basketball! Our other children are Omar and Jamayal, they are awesome fathers and husbands following in Lowes’ footsteps.
SKII: What do you think is going to happen, now that his book is out there?
Patrice: Well, he’s always been telling his story, but the one thing about a book is that it will reach millions out there and they will finally get to know him for who he is. The fact that he gets the chance to tell his story is good for him, but it’s really amazing for others to get that chance to be inspired by him, almost as much as I am honored to be.
Mrs. Jeannette McNair Moore – Mother
SKII: I’m at the Boys and Girls Club and I’m speaking with Mr. Moore’s mother. How do you feel?
Jeannette: I really don’t know what to say. It’s overwhelming. I’m excited and happy for my son, because I know he’s been working really hard. Just in knowing that he’s finally here, is amazing!
SKII: May I have your full name?
Jeannette: Jeannette McNair Moore
SKII: When your son first told you that he’ll be an NBA, basketball star, what did you say?
Jeannette: I was “just” a mother who helped him achieve his goal. I’ve supported him and each of my children to the fullest, at everything they’ve done. I never left them alone then, and I’m not now. Everyone was and still is very supportive of him, and all of my children. We all used to drive to West Virginia to watch him play basketball! A proud mother I am. That’s all I can say. He has worked hard at everything he’s done, so I knew that he’d achieve it!
SKII: What are the names of your four children?
Jeannette: Lowes, Douglas, Curtis and my youngest daughter, Tracey.
Tracey Moore George – Sister
SKII: I’m at the Boys and Girls Club of Mt. Vernon, speaking with Lowes’ baby sister, Tracey. How are you, and how do you feel about your brother?
Tracey: I’m doing well; and you? I feel great about my brother! He’s been working hard like this since, forever. I’m so proud of him! He’s my eldest brother, and I’ve always been proud of him.
SKII: How strong were you while growing up striving for the ideals that your mother desired of you?
Tracey: My mother was a mom that didn’t play, so as a single mother and a strong mother, she taught me respect and balance. Everywhere we went people knew us so we had to do what was needed, to make Mommy proud.
SKII: When his book came out, what did you do first?
Tracey: First I skimmed through it to make sure my name was in it! I am really looking forward to reading it, because it’ll take me back to us growing up. We were so close then – and, still close now.
SKII: Do you work here at the Boys and Girls Club?
Tracey: I actually reside here in Mt. Vernon; I don’t actually work for the Club, but I’m a head cheerleading coach at the Boys and Girls Club.
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SKII: You’ve just been introduced to Lowes family. A family which is so close, it seems, nothing can tear them apart. From his publicist, his wife, his mother to his sister, they told you how proud they are of Lowes. They told you, how much they love him and support him in his endeavors. Below, you will read Lowes story. His story, which shows, how he Reached The Top!
Lowes Moore – Former NBA player; Author
SKII: I’m here today at the Boys and Girls Club speaking to the one, and only Mr. Lowes Moore, himself. How do you feel about today?
Lowes: I feel great! It’s fantastic! And, I’m a little exhausted, because of all of the preparations. But, overall, I’m excited and grateful for the outcome. People showed up! I can’t do much more, but thank everyone; mainly, God.
SKII: Where were you born and raised?
Lowes: I was born and raised in Plymouth, North Carolina.
SKII: When did you come to New York?
Lowes: My mom and dad moved to Mount Vernon when I was five years old.
SKII: How was your mom, when growing up?
Lowes: My mom was excellent! She’s like my hero, because while I was growing up seeing her go through domestic abuse, and seeing how she was always protecting us, while being so strong, yet vulnerable at the same time, was amazing. She always portrayed as if we were the “perfect family”, no matter what we were going through. At the time, we didn’t know what to do while she was being abused. Only cry, while hearing what she was going through. It hurt a lot growing up not knowing what to do. Secretly carrying everything while we’re in school or anywhere else, being worried. But, I remembered my mom telling me how she stopped me from worrying.
Then she explained how they were separating and getting a divorce and how I would be “the man of the house”. I would have “to be strong and mindful of my siblings, because whatever I did, they’d do, as well”. So, no matter what I thought negatively about doing, she helped me stay on the right track, because I had my siblings on my mind, to make sure I would always do right. I’m so thankful for her teaching me the strength and courage of growing up, as a wise man. My mom taught me to follow her steps by working hard and staying strong.
SKII: So, you never received that father and son bond. But, did your children experience the father and son bond, from you?
Lowes: Of course they did. They always got the love from me no matter what I was doing. I learned to always take time a part from business. It’s funny, because my kids experienced the father and love bond from my father, their grandfather.
It’s a great feeling to know that he was there making-up for what he lost [from our relationship] that we could’ve had, while I was growing up. At least he was something more to my kids than he was to me, before his passing. I did get that father and son bond from my coach. When I came to the Boys and Girls Club I was gifted with a man that had the patience and understanding that a father should have for a son/child. James Jones was the Boy and Girl Club’s worker, and my second coach and he gave that to me. He probably gave that to others, as well. The love he had for me was just for me, just as the love he had for others was for others.
SKII: When did your father pass away?
Lowes: It’s been about seventeen years now.
SKII: What’s this recipe you mentioned?
Lowes: My mother has a recipe for this great cake and Michelle, my daughter, the assistant principal knows the recipe for this great cake. But many don’t know the recipe. So when I started this book I thought about the recipe for success but no one else knows the recipe. The book is my blueprint of how to deal with domestic violence and abuse or anything that’s bothering or hindering one’s life. The moral of this book is to teach what God allows you to go through, and to know nothing is easy, but everything is possible.
SKII: So how do you feel about being a minister? When did it occur?
Lowes: Growing up, I’ve always been in church. I stopped going around thirteen because my mother wasn’t forcing me anymore. I started to go back during Easter, or whenever I had something nice to wear. So, I was challenge to a bet that if I want to play basketball in this church league I would have to come to church three times. So, I brought two guys with me to come as a part of my team, but on the third time of going to church, the two guys weren’t with me. I was by myself. So, I decided to continue to go to church, read more, and kept playing harder at basketball. This taught me to become stronger at what I loved, and that’s both basketball and at being a minister.
SKII: How long have you been preaching?
Lowes: I’ve been preaching for a while; since I was in high school.
SKII: What schools did you attend?
Lowes: I first started dreaming about playing professional basketball when I graduated from elementary school. While at junior high school, I wanted to stray, a bit. I wanted to play around, but then again, I had my siblings to think about. So, while being in school I also needed to work at the same time and stay focused. I took an extra class to jump me up to high school, because I had to repeat seventh grade. But, by completing the program, they jumped me into high school. Once in high school, I started to do better and then understanding what to do to stay on top was the beginning of becoming who I am now. My faith and my knowledge were getting stronger and I became so confident that nothing was going to stop me.
SKII: So, you and your wife met in college?
Lowes: I was twenty five and she was nineteen when we got married, so she was a sophomore in college and I was playing pro basketball. I knew she was going to be my wife before either of us really knew, because God knew first and he was the one who shared with me, my future.
SKII: So, how did you get drafted into the NBA, and what did you do after?
Lowes: I played eight to nine years in pro ball in the NBA and in the CBA and towards the end of playing I started to think about what I wanted to do after playing and getting used to not being a star and people screaming my name. Right after pro ball I was unemployed. I was a hall monitor afterward, and having no degree I wondered what my next step would be. So, I started coaching community college and then started coaching at Albany State University Being an assistant coach on the varsity team. Then I became the Athletic Director for the Redemption Christian Academy, Troy, NY and trying to help my family. At first I was struggling to be the man I was raised to be. But, then again nothing is impossible. Things are going to be hard, but at the end of the day, you’ll always find victory.
SKII: So did Queen Latifah, Denzel Washington, Jennifer Lopez, George Mitchell, Brooke Washington, Ashanti, and Usher attend the Boys and Girls Club?
Lowes: Yes, and they are Hall of Famers of the National Boys and Girls Club. They didn’t all attend this Club. Only Denzel attended this Club.
SKII: So, Peter, your Publicist inspired you to write your story?
Lowes: Yes, he did inspire me to do my story and I didn’t know what to write. He was just so encouraging about my life being an amazing story to tell. So, I’m grateful for him, as well. You don’t meet too many people that become friends and actually stick around to become family.
SKII: So what is next for you Lowes Moore?
Lowes: What’s next? Right now I would love to travel the world on the From the Boy and Girls Club to the NBA Life on a Narrow Road book tour, sharing knowledge about who I am. I can let people know that if I am blessed enough to take care of my family, then they can do so, as well. I want to get to a point where my resources connect with others – just as God intends for me to do.
