Alabama basketball’s Kira Lewis has continued to climb the rankings in many recent NBA mock drafts. After deciding to test the NBA waters earlier this year, Lewis announced in late April he was going to stay in the NBA draft, and that seems to have been the best choice.
Bleacher Report released their top 80 rankings of the 2020 NBA Draft, and Kira Lewis was ranked at No. 15.
“Lewis began to trend upward among scouts during the back half of the season, with his individual growth accentuated as the other top guards began to struggle. The fact he just turned 19—placing him in the same age bracket as all of the freshmen in this draft—is significant, and his blazing speed, improving feel as a playmaker and capable outside shot put a lot of pressure on defenses this season. He’s extremely thin and is going to take time to fill out and develop, but compensates by being able to beat people to spots going downhill and being a competent finisher with both hands. While Lewis isn’t exactly a floor general in the sense of controlling pace and dictating play, he’s so fast and naturally effective in two-man situations that he may be able to succeed just off those strengths. How high he can rise without individual workouts is worth monitoring as the predraft process moves forward, but he makes sense in the 10-20 range as an upside play.”
With a few months until the NBA Draft begins, there is still time for Lewis to continue to climb up the rankings.
Had the entire basketball season been played out, there’s a chance Lewis would’ve had more time to build his resume, but since the coronavirus cancelled the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, Lewis will have to rely on his consistent regular season play to prove he deserves a shot in the NBA.
In his two seasons with the Crimson Tide, Lewis averaged 34.5 minutes, a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 points, 260 assists and 183 turnovers.
He also averaged 18.5 ppg., 5.2 assists per game and made 37% percent of his 3-pointers.
The NBA draft is scheduled to be held on Thursday, June 25, but Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on if that changed due to the coronavirus.
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