What was Reggie Lewis's ceiling?

[Bklynborn682]

I've always wondered what Reggie Lewis's ceiling was. He was had passed right around the exact time that I really got into NBA ball, and from hearing a couple interviews like Rick fox on Bill Simmons old show, and Reggie Miller on I believe the Dan Patrick show, the praises that they sang of him, as well as the stories of how great a player in games and as a competitor (Miller) and how great he was in practice and on a every day basis (Fox), it made me wonder about his potential.
Also if I remember correctly Rick Fox also said on Grantland, that if Reggie would have been able to complete his career without any sustained injuries he'd be a lock to be a hall of gamer, if not one of the 50 greatest players ever

[Illmatic12]

I was reading the Jackie MacMullan piece on him the other day. Lewis was in very high regard among his peers.

Joe Dumars on his toughest cover (minus MJ obv):

You know, Jackie MacMullan did a great story on him a couple of weeks ago — it was Reggie Lewis for me. He was long, athletic, smooth, he could raise up over you and shoot. He was a really good defender, too. He was a tough, tough cover. Man, he was a tough guy to guard. He was definitely the one, other than MJ, who was the toughest for me to figure out. He was so long, and you couldn’t really get physical with him, because he was so slim, and it always seemed like I was getting called for fouls. He was a great, great player.

Bird:

"He kept you off balance all the time," Bird said. "There were a few guys in the league I hated to guard because you didn't know what they were thinking. I'm glad Reggie was my teammate, because he was one of them."

Jordan:

"He kept you off balance all the time," Bird said. "There were a few guys in the league I hated to guard because you didn't know what they were thinking. I'm glad Reggie was my teammate, because he was one of them."

MacMullan described one game during which Lewis blocked Michael Jordan four separate times. When reminded of the incident 22 years later, Jordan laughed and said he remembered it. The G.O.A.T. (greatest player of all time) explained how Lewis' length bothered him and even forced him to become tentative, because he tried to break down the Celtics guard and didn't have much success.

"He was a tough matchup," Jordan told MacMullan. "He had those long arms that really bothered me. I was trying to be aggressive with him. I was trying to take advantage of his passive demeanor, but he didn't back down. He never relinquished his own aggressiveness.

"He shocked me a little bit."

[Laimbeer]

Guys who have passed always get their abilities exaggerated.

[Bklynborn682]

Guys who have passed always get their abilities exaggerated.

I'm sure that's true to an extent, but did you ever see Reggie play?

[Laimbeer]

Guys who have passed always get their abilities exaggerated.

I'm sure that's true to an extent, but did you ever see Reggie play?

Very little.

[Bklynborn682]

Guys who have passed always get their abilities exaggerated.

I'm sure that's true to an extent, but did you ever see Reggie play?

Very little.

Same here just highlights and listening to and reading quotes from ex players.
So trying to see what's fact and what's fiction.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

He already reached his ceiling as a player before he passed.

[Bklynborn682]

He already reached his ceiling as a player before he passed.

How can you say that he played 6 seasons in the league and was only 27.
That would be like Shaq passing away in 98 and assuming that was the best we'd have ever seen of him.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

He already reached his ceiling as a player before he passed.

How can you say that he played 6 seasons in the league and was only 27.
That would be like Shaq passing away in 98 and assuming that was the best we'd have ever seen of him.

Not comparing players, but if Shaq passed away in 98 he'd already proved to be a top 3-4 offensive C ever. He'd already ousted Jordans Bulls, he played in a NBA Finals and had a legendary matchup with Hakeem. Reggie was just a steady veteran from what I remember. As a SF out East he was overshadowed by Pippen n Dominique those years . Was probably around the same level as Glen Rice as a SF in the early 90s. He was better defensively, Rice was offensively.

Very few players in NBA history have managed to improve approaching their 30's n beyond.

Reggie on a title team would've been a great stopper and second or third best scoring option. He wasn't a franchise guy you could build around and expect go far in the playoffs....but he was a solid player.

With the arrival of superior stars of comparable heights n builds in Penny and Grant Hill imho his status would've been even more overlooked as he got older.

[Bklynborn682]

He already reached his ceiling as a player before he passed.

How can you say that he played 6 seasons in the league and was only 27.
That would be like Shaq passing away in 98 and assuming that was the best we'd have ever seen of him.

Not comparing players, but if Shaq passed away in 98 he'd already proved to be a top 3-4 offensive C ever. He'd already ousted Jordans Bulls, he played in a NBA Finals and had a legendary matchup with Hakeem. Reggie was just a steady veteran from what I remember. As a SF out East he was overshadowed by Pippen n Dominique those years . Was probably around the same level as Glen Rice as a SF in the early 90s. He was better defensively, Rice was offensively.

Very few players in NBA history have managed to improve approaching their 30's n beyond.

Reggie on a title team would've been a great stopper and second or third best scoring option. He wasn't a franchise guy you could build around and expect go far in the playoffs....but he was a solid player.

With the arrival of superior cstars of comparable heights n builds in Penny and Grant Hill imho his status would've been even more overlooked as he got older.

I appreciate the information you shared, I don't know very much about Reggie, but one thing I do know is that a player normally enters his prime right around the ages of 27-28 and usually start to drop off some point after 32 or so, depending on the individuals work ethic.
Maybe it's just because he passed, but hearing from old teammates and rivals alike they talk like he was headed for superstardom. But as I said I literally started watching ball seriously his last year in the league and was way too into Shaq Barkley Ewing and Olajuwon at the time so I really didn't get a feel for his game.
In your opinion could you compare Reggie to another player who was similar in style of play or impact on the game?

[FuShengTHEGreat]

How can you say that he played 6 seasons in the league and was only 27.
That would be like Shaq passing away in 98 and assuming that was the best we'd have ever seen of him.

Not comparing players, but if Shaq passed away in 98 he'd already proved to be a top 3-4 offensive C ever. He'd already ousted Jordans Bulls, he played in a NBA Finals and had a legendary matchup with Hakeem. Reggie was just a steady veteran from what I remember. As a SF out East he was overshadowed by Pippen n Dominique those years . Was probably around the same level as Glen Rice as a SF in the early 90s. He was better defensively, Rice was offensively.

Very few players in NBA history have managed to improve approaching their 30's n beyond.

Reggie on a title team would've been a great stopper and second or third best scoring option. He wasn't a franchise guy you could build around and expect go far in the playoffs....but he was a solid player.

With the arrival of superior cstars of comparable heights n builds in Penny and Grant Hill imho his status would've been even more overlooked as he got older.

I appreciate the information you shared, I don't know very much about Reggie, but one thing I do know is that a player normally enters his prime right around the ages of 27-28 and usually start to drop off some point after 32 or so, depending on the individuals work ethic.
Maybe it's just because he passed, but hearing from old teammates and rivals alike they talk like he was headed for superstardom. But as I said I literally started watching ball seriously his last year in the league and was way too into Shaq Barkley Ewing and Olajuwon at the time so I really didn't get a feel for his game.
In your opinion could you compare Reggie to another player who was similar in style of play or impact on the game?

Thank you.

I'd say the player his career resembled before he passed in terms of impact, impact on the game was Andre Iguodala in Philadelphia after Iverson was traded.

Both unexpectedly became leaders of middle of the pack teams in the prime of their careers when the longtime franchise cornerstone (Bird and A.I.) departed for different reasons.

They were both tremendous defensive players capable of guarding the 2 or 3. Well respected around the NBA. Reggie had a better jumper....Andre was probably stronger and more athletic.

But no one would say if Andre passed on that he was thought of in LBJ, Durant, Melo Pierce (or even Paul George later) category during those years. So I think superstardom was a stretch to say for Reggie.

[homecourtloss]

He was a good player and fun to watch, but I don't know how much better he would have gotten. He was a decent defender (not lockdown by any means), and he could create his own shot but could st shoot threes. I think that his ceiling was a 20 PER, +4 BPM player but it's not a sure thing he would have reached that either.

In any case, it's always difficult talking about players who passed when they were so young and as a poster said above, we tend to perhaps exaggerate their strengths in nostalgic reverence.

[SlowPaced]

He probably would've made 2-3 more All-Star games but that's about it. He was already 27 when he passed.

[JordansBulls]

Would be as good as 2016 Westbrook.

[Blackfyre]

Would be as good as 2016 Westbrook.

They were nothing alike. How did you even come up with this comparison ? Also Lewis was thousands of miles away from Westbrook. Are you overrating him because he once blocked Jordan 4 times in a game ?

[Domejandro]

He likely would have had a similar career to that of Glenn Robinson; he was a good player, but I feel his potential is overstated a great deal.

[homecourtloss]

Would be as good as 2016 Westbrook.

[NBAMythbuster]

Rashard Lewis?

[wallsfamily]

Reggie was a very good two way player who benefitted from playing with veterans and learning the ropes. The scary thing is if the two Celtics had lived then history would have been rewritten. McHale played too many minutes in 86 and if Bias had lived he would have been the scorer that allowed Bird to rest and play PF those last years. Don't forget that Celtics also drafted in late rounds Brian Shaw, Dee Brown and Dino Radja. They wouldnt have had to trade Ainge and the veterans would have been replaced slowly by quality. Auerbach was a genius. Picture this lineup in 90 and beyond SF Bias- PF Bird C Parish SG Lewis PG DJ and bench of Ainge, Mchale, Dee Brown and Brian Shaw and Dino Radja. Interchangeable starting lineups.

[Timmaytime]

prime/peak Penny Hardaway? Without the playmaking obviously.

He had a bit of a post game, although he didn't use it cause he generally was playing against bigger defenders than Penny was. He was really quick and a strong finisher, didn't have much of an outside shot.

Reminds me of Demar Derozan, he was probably better defensively though.

There's not really a good comparison when you consider style/skill.