One of the youngest players in the draft, playing his sophomore season at 19, Kira Lewis poses intriguing upside. As a sophomore, Lewis averaged 18.5 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG, and 3.5 TOPG on shooting splits of 46/37/80. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Kira Lewis Jr
Height/Weight: 6’3/ 180
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’5/ N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: PG
College: Alabama
Tools: Speed, playmaking, 3 level scoring upside
Pros:
- Speedy guard with quick first step
- Free throw percentage indicates shooting upside
- Very good distributor with good vision
- Capable of fighting over screens
- Can cover lots of ground defensively
- Excellent at forcing turnovers
- High upside shooter off the dribble
Cons:
- Needs to improve jump shot form- elbow isn’t fluid
- Needs to continue adding strength/weight
Overall:
Kira Lewis is a solid two-way point guard that can play both on-ball and off-ball offensively. Lewis’ selling points are his youth, elite speed, shooting upside, and overall upside as he continues to fill out his frame. While he needs to improve his jump shot form fluidity, Lewis still is likely to be a capable shooter, even early in his career. Lewis is a comfortable shooter off the dribble, around screens, and as a standstill spot-up shooter. His quickness allows him to get to the rim at ease, and with added strength, he should be able to be a productive finisher at the next level. This combination of scoring ability and physical tools makes him a projectable 3 level scorer.
As a playmaker, Kira won’t consistently make the “wow” pass, but he thrives at the drive & kick, which is a crucial component of the game to have down as a point guard. While Lewis still needs to improve his decision making with the ball in his hands, which should come with maturity, the passing upside to be a 6+ assists per game point guard should be attainable. Lewis is also comfortable as a pick & roll ball-handler, and has a quick handle that he loves to use to size up defenders and quickly shoot over them.
Defensively, Lewis used his speed to cut off drives efficiently in college. However, in the NBA, while he may be able to beat ball-handlers to their spots, Lewis will need to add weight to hold his own against explosive and stronger guards in order to be a positive on-ball defender. At times, Lewis can lose awareness on defense, which may impact his year-one defensive abilities, but that should be fixed rather easily with maturity under NBA coaching. The biggest strengths that Lewis has to hang his hat on day-one are: defensive playmaking/forcing turnovers, navigating through screens, and a high motor on-ball.
NBA Comparison: Floor: Mario Chalmers; ceiling: Mike Conley
Projected draft range: 7-13
Best fits:
- Washington Wizards
- Detroit Pistons
- New York Knicks
- Phoenix Suns
- Orlando Magic
Shot Chart:
