Lewis is projected to be a first-round pick in the NBA draft after a career year at Pepperdine.
Pepperdine Waves sophomore Maxwell Lewis on Monday said he will forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and remain in the 2023 NBA draft after a career year.
“I’m going all-in and forgoing my college eligibility,” Lewis said.
He was named to the All-West Coast Conference second team after averaging 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 46.8% shooting from the field in 31 games. He finished sixth in the conference in scoring and seventh in field-goal percentage.
The 6-foot-7 forward dazzled as a scorer throughout the season. He was ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring earlier this year and put up a season-high 30 points twice. He has good size at his position as a wing and is a great rebounder.
Lewis is projected to be a first-round pick this year. He is slotted by most mock drafts to go in the 12-20 range given his skills and ability to score. He would be the first player from the program to be drafted in the first round since Brandon Armstrong in 2001.
The NBA this week announced the dates of the G League Elite Camp, draft combine and draft lottery.
With the NBA season entering the final stretch and the NCAA Tournament beginning this week, many have started to look ahead to the offseason.
The league this week announced the dates and locations of several key offseason events, including the G League Elite Camp, draft combine and draft lottery. The three events are, of course, a crucial part of the pre-draft process.
Prospects will soon begin their preparations for the draft. They will spend much of the next several weeks training with other players and attending various workouts with teams. It will be a great opportunity for draft hopefuls to improve their stock.
Here are several key offseason dates to take note of related to the draft.
Lively scored only four points, but the freshman had a record-setting performance on defense in his NCAA Tournament debut.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Dereck Lively II scored only four points, but the talented freshman produced a record-setting performance on Thursday to help the fifth-seeded Duke Blue Devils knock off No. 12 Oral Roberts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Lively hauled in 12 rebounds and blocked six shots, including four in the first half, as Duke posted a dominating 74-51 victory. His six blocked shots are the most by a Duke freshman in the tournament, surpassing the previous mark of four (Josh McRoberts, Jayson Tatum). He also became the third player from the ACC to record at least 10 rebounds and six blocks in a tournament debut.
The Blue Devils raced to a 15-0 lead to start the game, thanks in large part to their stout defensive effort. The Golden Eagles missed their first 12 shots and were blocked twice by Lively during that stretch. They finally got on the board with a layup after eight minutes.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer was pleased with their defensive effort.
We were able to switch a lot. We have a very versatile defensive group. (Dereck) having six blocks, which I think is a freshman record in the tournament at Duke. Besides the six blocks, he alters so much. We were able to guard multiple positions, and not let up. To hold that team to 51 points is a big deal.
Lively and the Blue Devils held the Golden Eagles to a season-low 23 points in the first half. They swarmed Oral Roberts at every opportunity on defense and forced players into difficult shots at the rim with Lively roaming the paint.
The effort by Lively continued a strong second-half campaign.
The 7-foot-1 center was named to the ACC All-Defensive team and the ACC All-Freshman team after averaging 5.4 points, five rebounds and 2.3 blocks on 65.8% shooting from the field. He blocked the third-most shots by a Duke freshman (74) and ranked 12th in the country. He also had the eighth-most games with multiple blocks (22) and has reached that mark in 10 straight games.
He missed time to begin the year, but Scheyer loves his recent run.
The second half of the season, Dereck has been on an absolute tear. His rebounding, blocking shots; he has been scoring in double digits, too. He is the ultimate team player. … I don’t even think the six blocks get enough credit because there were a few more where they were either looking or passing out just because of his presence around the basket.
Defending at a high level is something Lively takes great pride in.
I just accepted it as my role being able to protect the house. Backing up my teammates is just something I’ve accepted and just something I’ve tried to excel at. Being able to have them know they can trust me to have their backs at any moment is something I’ve just accepted throughout this point.
Dereck Lively was a monster for Duke defensively. He showed the ability to both switch out on the perimeter and protect the basket. He finished with 12 rebounds and was credited with 6 blocks. pic.twitter.com/wqLTTa5OfC
Lively is widely considered to be the top shot-blocker in the NBA draft this year. He has improved his draft stock after a slow start to the year and isΒ considered by many to be a mid-first-round pick given his recent run.
He certainly didn’t hurt his stock any on Thursday.
After leading Oral Roberts to the Sweet 16 in 2021, Abmas will be looking to go on another deep run as a senior.
ORLANDO, Fla. — When Max Abmas withdrew from the NBA draft last year to return to school, the dynamic guard wanted to go out on top with Oral Roberts and create a lasting buzz.
He and the Golden Eagles have a chance to do just that.
Oral Roberts will make its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday as the No. 12 seed in the East Region. It will face fifth-seeded Duke at Amway Center for the first meeting between the two schools.
The Golden Eagles (30-4, 18-0) arrive as the champions of the Summit League after finishing the season with a 17-game winning streak, the longest in the country. They were the only team to go undefeated in conference play.
“We know when you get a 12 seed, a lot of the time you have a champion. Oral Roberts, they’re the champion of their league, regular season and tournament,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said. “They haven’t lost since Jan. 9. They’re used to winning. Regardless of who you were going to play, but especially with them, we know how good they are and what a challenge it’s going to be.”
The team last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2021 when it advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history (1974). As a 15th seed, the Golden Eagles upset Ohio State (2) and Florida (7) before falling to Arkansas (3).
Leading the way that year was Abmas.
Then a sophomore, Abmas led the country in scoring (24.5 points per game) and was named the Summit League Player of the Year. He became the first player since Stephen Curry in 2008 to score at least 25 points in each of his first three NCAA Tournament games.
That experience, Abmas said, will help Oral Roberts.
I think it definitely helps. Being here a couple of years ago, kind of understanding everything and what comes with it. The big thing for us is really staying in the moment, blocking the outside distractions and getting ready for the game tomorrow.
Abmas was named the Summit League Player of the Year once again this season after averaging 22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, four assists and 1.1 steals on 37.7% shooting from 3-point range. He was named to the AP All-American honorable mention team for the third time.
He was seventh nationally in scoring and sixth in 3s per game (3.5).
The 21-year-old drew high praise from head coach Paul Mills throughout the year. He is the guy that drives the team and does so with more than just his scoring. He understands that the team may need him to score at times or set up his teammates.
That ability, Mills said, is very impressive.
To know that a guy who can score at his level cares about sharing the basketball, it kind of speaks volumes about how ‘I’ll take away things that may bring more accolades in order to allow the team to win’ and be willing to do it.
To have a guy like that who’s so willing to put his ego aside — and the kid could have gone anywhere in the country if he would have wanted to — and say, ‘Man, how do I have value here, and what role do you need me to add value in?’ He consistently does that.
Abmas, center, was among 44 prospects invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp last year. David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Abmas tested the NBA pre-draft process in each of the past two years. He participated in various scouting events, such as the G League Elite Camp in Chicago and had the opportunity to perform in front of executives and scouts.
The events gave him the opportunity to work on his game and receive feedback from teams on areas in which he could improve. He even spent some time training with Trae Young in Las Vegas learning the nuances of the game from a former All-Star.
With Abmas’ collegiate career likely winding down, a future playing basketball at the professional awaits him once the Golden Eagles’ season ends — either on Thursday or later.
He isn’t worrying about that right now.
“(I’m) just staying in the moment and really just enjoying every step of the way,” Abmas said. “I think that’s a big thing that I’ve kind of been doing the whole year is just trying to stay in the moment and not look too far ahead. I get a lot of questions about the future and everything, but the big thing is right now and doing what I can to prepare myself for the future.”
Lewis was named to the All-West Coast Conference second team after averaging 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Pepperdine Waves sophomore Maxwell Lewis on Tuesday announced he plans to declare for the 2023 NBA draft after a career year with the program.
Lewis was named to the All-West Coast Conference second team after averaging 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 46.8% shooting from the field in 31 games. He finished sixth in the conference in scoring and seventh in field-goal percentage.
The 6-foot-7 forward dazzled as a scorer throughout the season. He was ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring earlier this year and put up a season-high 30 points twice. He has good size at his position as a wing and is a great rebounder.
Lewis is projected to be a first-round pick this year. He is slotted by most mock drafts to go in the 12-20 range given his skills and ability to score. He would be the first player from the program to be drafted in the first round since Brandon Armstrong in 2001.
Underclassmen have until April 23 to declare for the draft.
Henderson, the projected No. 2 pick in the NBA draft, will not play in the remainder of the season with the G League Ignite.
Scoot Henderson, the projected No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, will not play in the remainder of the season with the G League Ignite, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
The decision to shut Henderson down was reportedly made by the league as officials believe the 19-year-old has showcased enough of his game to be a high pick. The Ignite, who are out of the playoff picture, have only five games left in the regular season.
Rumors swirled earlier in the season when Henderson missed 11 games (nasal fracture, concussion) that he could opt to shut his season down early. However, Henderson and the team pushed back against those reports and the dynamic guard eventually returned on Dec. 27.
Henderson went on to play in 19 more games after that point, and was among seven G League players to appear in the NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 17. He also competed in the G League Next Up game two days later as part of All-Star Weekend.
Scoot Henderson, projected No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, has been shut down by the G League for the remainder of Ignite's season, a league official told ESPN. Ignite is unlikely to make the playoffs and the G League feels Henderson has shown enough this season.
Henderson first signed with the Ignite in May 2021, becoming the youngest professional basketball player in United States history at 17 years old. He was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in his class at the time after a decorated high school career in Marietta, Georgia.
He averaged 14 points, five rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals last season with the Ignite alongside Dyson Daniels, MarJon Beauchamp and Jaden Hardy. He competed in the Rising Stars game for the first time along with three other G League players.
Henderson solidified his draft stock in October in front of 200-plus executives and scouts against Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 in Henderson, Nevada. He missed the second game, but dazzled in the first matchup with 28 points.
Henderson continued that run from that opening game and dazzled throughout the year with the Ignite. He established himself as a dynamic scoring guard and has all of the tools — on and off of the court — to be a potential franchise-changing guard at the next level.
He finished the season by averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.2 steals on 44.4% shooting from the field in 25 games. He registered 12 20-point games and became one of four players this season to record at least 20 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds in a game.
Henderson is on the verge of becoming yet another high draft pick from the Ignite. The program has helped send several players to the NBA in just three years with Henderson the latest looking to make the jump.
Edey, the Big Ten Player of the Year, was the only player to appear on all 58 first-team ballots after averaging 22.3 points, 12.8 points, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists with the Boilermakers. He ranks sixth in the country in scoring, second in rebounding and first in double-doubles (26).
Jackson-Davis became the first Hoosier since Victor Oladipo in 2013 to earn first-team honors after averaging 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 blocks. He ranks 16th nationally in scoring, 13th in rebounding and sixth in blocks (82).
Joining Edey and Jackson-Davis on the first team are Kansas forward Jalen Wilson, Houston guard Marcus Sasser and Alabama forward Brandon Miller, who was the only freshman to appear on the list.
π AP All-America, First Team:
π Zach Edey π Trayce Jackson-Davis π Jalen Wilson π Marcus Sasser π Brandon Miller pic.twitter.com/HrfAi24Jma
Hendricks emerged as one of the top freshmen in the country this season and earned high praise from his head coach.
UCF forward Taylor Hendricks emerged as one of the top freshmen in the country this season and impressed plenty of people along the way, including head coach Johnny Dawkins.
Hendricks was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman team after averaging 15.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 assists on 41.3% shooting from 3-point range. He led the AAC in blocks and was ninth in the country in scoring among all freshmen.
The Knights were eliminated from the conference tournament after falling to Memphis on Friday. Hendricks is projected to be a first-round pick this year and will likely enter his name in the NBA draft and forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility.
He burst onto the scene early in the season and started appearing on various mock drafts. The hype surrounding his game began to build throughout the year, but Hendricks remained leveled and continued to focus on the team’s needs over his own.
He is a great teammate. I watched him throughout the season, even in these interviews, and I listen to what he says and he always compliments his teammates. What a great young man. He is a terrific, terrific talent (with) a bright future. He is always first to say: ‘What can I do to help my teammates?’
He always has a positive comment to make about them and that’s rare for a freshman who is having the type of year he’s had. You’d think he’d be thinking more about himself but yet he is always thinking about others. He is thinking about his teammates, and that’s why I think he’s gonna be a great player and win a lot of games because those types of kids usually do.
Hendricks has dazzled this season with his size and athleticism and has emerged as a real shot-blocking threat with his long arms and instincts. On the other side, he is a great lob threat. He also has great hands and has good vision out of the post to find his teammates.
Simply put: Hendricks should have a seamless transition to the NBA.
He has all of the tools to be successful on the court, but Dawkins’ praise speaks volumes about his character. He checks a lot of boxes and seems to be a lock to become the Knights’ first first-round pick.
Henderson earned a shout-out from Durant in a recent interview, but the projected No. 2 pick may not be entirely thrilled with it.
Scoot Henderson earned a shoutout from Kevin Durant in a recent interview, but the projected No. 2 pick in the NBA draft this year may not be entirely thrilled with it.
In an interview with Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, Durant was asked about criticism from Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. The two Hall of Famers have often been harshly critical of Durant’s leadership and his tendency to force his way out of situations over the years.
After debuting with Phoenix on Wednesday, Durant responded to their past barbs. He believes they may be a bit unfair to him in the era of superstars teaming up.
Henderson, hilariously, caught a stray in the process.
At this point, theyβre saying, go play with Scoot Henderson and win a championship and then weβll give you credit. I donβt need no credit from yβall, no credit from (Barkley), no credit from Shaq. Yβall donβt ever have to watch me play ever again, donβt talk about me if you donβt (rock) with me. Iβm not gonna stop doing what I do.
Everybody has their opinions, man. Itβs not gonna stop me and how I approach the game. As far as leading a team, I donβt need to coach no team. Whatever happens, we do it together. (Monty Williams) is the leader, heβs the coach. The GM puts the team together. Iβm supposed to go out and hoop. Thatβs my job.
Henderson will certainly land with a team in the midst of a rebuild. Durant inferred that playing with Henderson would happen on a lottery team and playing with that team would be acceptable to O’Neal and Barkley versus teaming with more superstars.
In any case, Durant name-dropping Henderson is pretty funny considering the 19-year-old hasn’t stepped foot onto an NBA court yet. He projects to have a bright future, but probably will not be playing with Durant in the near future.
Miller averaged 17.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and two assists in eight games during the month of February.
Leonard Miller produced another double-double and played a key role on Tuesday to help lead the G League Ignite to a win over the Iowa Wolves at home.
Miller recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and one steal in the 110-102 victory at The Dollar Loan Center. He finished 6-of-14 from the field in 36 minutes as the Ignite improved to 9-13.
The 19-year-old registered his seventh straight double-double, and 10th of the season, with the performance. He was tied with Alize Johnson (Wisconsin) for the most double-doubles in the G League during the month of February.
Miller averaged 17.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and two assists on 49.2% shooting from the field in eight games in February. He was fifth in rebounding among all players and third in offensive rebounding with 4.1 per game.
— NBA G League Ignite (@gleagueignite) March 1, 2023
On a team that features Scoot Henderson, Miller is also projected to be a first-round pick this year in the NBA draft. He tested the pre-draft process last year, but withdrew from consideration and signed with the Ignite this season.
Miller, who was born in Canada, is highly touted for his ability on both ends of the floor. He does the majority of his work in the paint and has a great package of finishes. He is active as a cutter who hits the offensive glass hard, and he is good for a few putbacks each game.
He will need to improve as a shooter, but the 6-foot-11 forward has the tools to be an impact player at the next level with his 7-foot-2 wingspan. He has improved throughout the year and projects to continue to get better at the next level.
With Henderson playing as the prized prospect on the Ignite, Miller is next in line to be drafted and is commonly projected to be selected in the mid-to-late first round. The decision to hold out on the draft for one more year appears to be paying off.
