Kira Lewis Jr.

Last updated

Kira Lewis Jr.
Kira Lewis Alabama.jpg
Lewis with Alabama in 2019
No. 13–Utah Jazz
Position Point guard
League NBA
Personal information
Born (2001-04-06) April 6, 2001 (age 23)
Meridianville, Alabama, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school Hazel Green
(Hazel Green, Alabama)
College Alabama (2018–2020)
NBA draft 2020: 1st round, 13th overall pick
Selected by the New Orleans Pelicans
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2024 New Orleans Pelicans
2022–2024 →Birmingham Squadron
2024 Toronto Raptors
2024 →Raptors 905
2024–present Utah Jazz
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-SEC (2020)
  • SEC All-Freshman Team (2019)
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Flag of the United States.svg  United States
FIBA Under-19 World Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Greece Team

Kira Aundrea Lewis Jr. (born April 6, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft.

Contents

High school career

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. [1] He was originally in the 2019 class but graduated early from high school and reclassified to 2018. [2] 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. [3]

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. [4] He tied his season high of 24 points against Georgia in February 2019. [5] 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. [6]

In his sophomore season opener, Lewis scored a then-career-high 30 points in an 81–80 loss to Penn. [7] He scored a career-high 37 points on February 8, 2020, in a 105–102 overtime win against Georgia. [8] 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. [9] On February 25, Lewis contributed 29 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a 80–73 loss to Mississippi State. [10] At the conclusion of the regular season, Lewis was named to the First Team All-SEC. [11] As a sophomore, Lewis averaged 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. [12] After the season, Lewis declared for the 2020 NBA draft. [13]

Professional career

New Orleans Pelicans (2020–2024)

Lewis was selected with the 13th pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. [14] On November 30, 2020, he signed with the Pelicans. [15] 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. [16]

Toronto Raptors (2024)

On January 17, 2024, Lewis and a 2024 second-round pick were traded by the Pelicans to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for cash considerations, [17] before being traded to the Toronto Raptors, along with Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks in exchange for Pascal Siakam. [18] On January 19, 2024, the Raptors assigned Lewis to the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. [19]

Utah Jazz (2024–present)

After playing only two minutes in one game with the Raptors, Lewis was traded to the Utah Jazz alongside Otto Porter Jr. and a 2024 first-round pick in exchange for Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji. [20]

National team career

Lewis played for the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece. He averaged four points and 1.6 assists per game and helped his team win a gold medal. [21]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

NBA

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2020–21 New Orleans 54016.7.386.333.8431.32.3.7.26.4
2021–22 New Orleans 24014.2.404.224.8331.62.0.5.05.9
2022–23 New Orleans 2509.4.455.441.8641.3.9.4.14.6
2023–24 New Orleans 1509.6.308.100.909.91.2.3.12.9
Toronto 101.6———.0.0.0.0.0
Utah 1209.9.450.154.7781.01.6.3.13.8
Career131013.3.397.294.8481.31.8.5.15.2

Play-in

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2023 New Orleans 104.7.000.000–1.0.0.0.0.0
Career104.7.000.000–1.0.0.0.0.0

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2018–19 Alabama 343431.6.433.358.7832.62.9.8.313.5
2019–20 Alabama 313137.6.459.366.8024.85.21.8.618.5
Career656534.5.447.362.7933.64.01.3.415.9

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References

  1. ↑ Boyette, Daniel (March 20, 2018). "Hazel Green's Kira Lewis stepped up as leader, earns Huntsville top basketball honor". AL.com. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Alabama Men's Basketball Signs Kira Lewis, will Enroll in Classes this Fall". University of Alabama Athletics. August 15, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  3. ↑ Daniels, Evan (August 10, 2018). "Kira Lewis commits to Alabama, reclassifies to 2018". 247Sports . Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  4. ↑ Walsh, Christopher (January 22, 2019). "The talk about Kira Lewis Jr. is shifting from his age to his consistency". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  5. ↑ Casagrande, Michael (April 8, 2019). "Kira Lewis is staying at Alabama after flirting with transfer". Al.com. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  6. ↑ Martin, Tyler (October 25, 2019). "Alabama Will Look to an Older, More Experienced Kira Lewis Jr. for Success Under Nate Oats". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Dingle lifts Penn to 81–80 opening win over Alabama". ESPN . Associated Press. November 5, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Lewis scores career-high 37 as Alabama tops Georgia in OT". ESPN . Associated Press. February 8, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Wiley, No. 11 Auburn survive in OT again, 95–91 over Alabama". ESPN . Associated Press. February 12, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  10. ↑ Stephens, Hannah (February 25, 2020). "Alabama loses game, John Petty against Miss State". Roll Tide Wire. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  11. ↑ "SEC announces 2020 Men's Basketball Awards" (Press release). Southeastern Conference. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  12. ↑ Tsoukalas, Tony (March 11, 2020). "How to watch: Alabama basketball vs Tennessee in the SEC Tournament". Rivals.com. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ Potter, Charlie (March 24, 2020). "Alabama's Kira Lewis, John Petty to test NBA draft waters". 247 Sports. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  14. ↑ Flaherty, Kevin (November 18, 2020). "Pelicans pick Alabama's Kira Lewis at No. 13 in NBA draft". 247 Sports. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  15. ↑ "New Orleans Pelicans sign Kira Lewis Jr". NBA.com. November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  16. ↑ Lopez, Andrew (December 9, 2021). "New Orleans Pelicans' Kira Lewis out for season after tearing ACL". ESPN . Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  17. ↑ "New Orleans Pelicans complete trade with Indiana Pacers". NBA.com. January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  18. ↑ "RAPTORS COMPLETE TRADE WITH INDIANA". NBA.com. January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Raptors assign Lewis Jr. to Raptors 905". NBA.com. January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Utah Jazz Acquire Kira Lewis Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and a Future Draft Pick from Toronto Raptors". NBA.com. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  21. ↑ Villicana, Paloma (July 8, 2019). "Kira Lewis brings back gold to north Alabama". WAFF . Retrieved December 3, 2019.
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