Editor’s Note: This story was originally published June 8, 2023
Pepperdine sophomore Maxwell Lewis is one of the most intriguing wings in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Lewis averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his breakout campaign for Pepperdine in 2022-23. Although he didn’t take the most traditional path to the pros, we project he’ll be a first-round pick in our latest 2023 NBA Mock Draft.
As the youngest of five children but the tallest in his family, Lewis always knew that basketball was an option for him. Soon, he can potentially turn it into his career.
“I feel like it was meant for me to play basketball,” Lewis told For The Win during a recent interview. “I had a size 15 shoe in like sixth grade.”
Lewis has spent the offseason training at IMPACT Basketball in Las Vegas with legendary skills trainer Joe Abunassar. Lewis has spent the pre-draft process training alongside several NBA players including Josh Green, Caleb Houstan and Keon Johnson.
The former Pepperdine standout has worked out for several teams with draft picks in the lottery including the Mavericks, Pelicans and Thunder. Some of the other teams with first-round picks that brought Lewis into their facilities include the Hawks, Lakers and Rockets.
Now, he feels ready to take the next step and make his mark in the NBA, and here are five things to know about him.
- Meet NBA draft sleeper Brandin Podziemski, who used the transfer portal to make himself a pro
- Meet NBA draft prospect Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who says he is ‘somebody that is electric’
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