Lewis played basketball for Hazel Green High School in Hazel Green, Alabama for three years. As a junior, he averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 steals per game and led his team to the Alabama Class 6A semifinals. Lewis earned first-team All-State honors for his second consecutive season, was a finalist for Alabama Mr. Basketball, and was named Huntsville Region Player of the Year and Alabama Class 6A Player of the Year.[2] He was originally in the 2019 class but graduated early from high school and reclassified to 2018.[3] On August 10, 2018, Lewis committed to Alabama over several major NCAA Division I offers, including from Indiana and Kansas. He was considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports.[4]
College career
In his freshman season with Alabama, Lewis, at age 17, was the second-youngest player in NCAA Division I basketball behind Everett Perrot of Pepperdine and was the youngest player to appear in a game. Lewis scored six points in his first career game versus Southern. The following game, he had 21 points against Appalachian State and followed that up with a season-high 24 points against Wichita State.[5] He tied his season high of 24 points against Georgia in February 2019.[6] Lewis averaged 13.5 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. However, Alabama struggled and finished 18–16, losing in the first round of the NIT. Lewis entered the transfer portal before new coach Nate Oats convinced him to return.[7]
In his sophomore season opener, Lewis scored a then-career-high 30 points in an 81–80 loss to Penn.[8] He scored a career-high 37 points on February 8, 2020, in a 105–102 overtime win against Georgia.[9] On February 12, Lewis became the first Alabama player since 1996 to record a triple-double, posting 10 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a 95–91 overtime loss to Auburn. He became the second player in school history to reach this accomplishment.[10] On February 25, Lewis contributed 29 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a 80–73 loss to Mississippi State.[11] At the conclusion of the regular season, Lewis was named to the First Team All-SEC.[12] As a sophomore, Lewis averaged 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.[13] After the season, Lewis declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[14]
Professional career
New Orleans Pelicans (2020–2024)
Lewis was selected with the 13th pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans.[15] On November 30, 2020, he signed with the Pelicans.[16] Lewis was a rotational player to start the year. His first career game with double-digit scoring came January 13, 2021 against the Los Angeles Clippers. He had 10 points that game. He registered a career-high 16 points and 6 assists on March 23 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
On December 8, 2021, Lewis tore his ACL and sprained his MCL during a 114–120 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets, ending his season.[17]
