2023 Draft Prospect Spotlight -- Maxwell Lewis

Post #1 » by **Jamaaliver** » Wed Mar 1, 2023 7:58 pm

A wing who could really thrive next to Trae or Dejounte...and potentially replace DeAndre Hunter someday.
His best case scenario is something like Khris Middleton.

Maxwell Lewis | Pepperdine | Sophomore

High-floor prospect with 3-and-D qualities, though his recent progress suggests he can be much more

17.1 PPG | 5.8 RPG | 2.8 APG | 35% 3-Pt Shooter

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Age: 20 Height: 6'7" Weight: 195 Wingspan: 6'10"

Shades of: Devin Vassell, Trey Murphy III

PLUSES
Knockdown 3-point shooter off the catch with flawless mechanics. He’s not a dynamic threat off screens or handoffs, but he is excellent at one-dribble or two-dribble pull-ups and stepbacks. He loves using pump fakes to get defenders in the air, which gives him space to attack with jumpers or drives.
Deceptive ball handler with a deep bag of wide crossovers and hesitations.
Skilled back-to-the-basket scorer who can overpower smaller defenders to get close to the rim for hook shots. If he’s too far away, he can pivot into a post fadeaway jumper.
Aware cutter with a natural feel for finding open space, whether he’s relocating for a 3 or going to the basket. He uses subtle stop-and-go moves to keep defenders off balance.
He’s not a lead guard, but he has the playmaking skill and vision for dishing to bigs in the dunker spot or throwing darts to spot-up shooters. When involved in two-man games, his combo of shooting, passing, and perception make him a constant threat.
High-effort defender with a large frame and good length. He has the upside to become a super versatile defender if his quickness improves.

MINUSES
Isolation scoring isn’t part of his game yet because of a lack of burst off the dribble. He has moves but they aren’t quick enough to create consistent separation. He doesn’t draw many fouls either.
Athleticism is good but not great. He occasionally gets exposed when defending quicker guards on the perimeter. Teams target him. In college he makes up for it with consistent effort, but in the NBA he’ll need a strength and conditioning program to improve his lateral mobility.
Ball watches at times on defense, which might be part of his responsibilities as a roaming defensive playmaker. But it’s a habit he’ll need to change in the NBA.

The Ringer

Post #2 » by **Jamaaliver** » Thu Mar 2, 2023 6:18 pm

NBA Draft Intel

Falling: Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine, SG/SF, Sophomore)

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Maxwell Lewis' draft-stock arrow has been seemingly rotating all season, but it's headed in the wrong direction entering March.

Pepperdine has lost 15 of its last 17 games, which doesn't reflect great on the 6'7" sophomore whom some were considering a potential lottery pick.

If there was hesitation about Lewis early in the season, it was due to his athletic question marks for a wing and lackadaisical defense. You had to really buy his skill level. But he's shooting only 32.6 percent and 17.6 percent over his last eight games while mostly facing opponents that scouts would expect a top-20 pick to score on more easily.

Looking at Lewis' entire body of work for the season, he's around average from three (34.9 percent) on limited volume (4.3 attempts in 31.4 minutes per game). He also has more turnovers (95) than assists (83) and a red-flag low 1.4 steal percentage, which underlines the questions about his quickness at both ends of the floor.

If Pepperdine's season gets cut short early, which seems like a real possibility, there are bound to be other prospects who leapfrog Lewis on draft boards in March.

Bleacher Report

Post #3 » by **Jamaaliver** » Tue Jun 6, 2023 1:38 pm

NBA Draft Scouting Report: Maxwell Lewis

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Maxwell Lewis has a chance to be the highest selected player to ever come out of Pepperdine. As a 6’7” wing with true two-way potential, he broke out in a big way in his sophomore year, registering 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. As a team, the Waves finished a disappointing 9-22 last season, and so Lewis was elevated to a lead role without the benefit of a high level supporting cast. That provides important context as to why hype surrounds a player from a mid-major program who was barely on the draft radar just a year ago.

Offense
Lewis’ shot mechanics look clean, with an easy shooting motion with no wasted action in his set or follow through. The career 35% shooting from three undersells him some, as he was thrust into a lead creator role early and as a result was forced into tougher quality shots. His catch-and-shoot figure from the most recent season are a much more respectable 44% from deep, and he’ll most likely have more of those opportunities in an NBA environment with other high level creators around him.

He has a projectable halfcourt handle, with the ability to attack closeouts and get downhill. Additionally, Lewis occasionally flashes his connecting skills with quick passes against tilted defenses. In total, it doesn’t quite suggest ‘point forward’ upside in the NBA, as he struggles with turnovers and decision making on the ball — he finished the season with more turnovers (102) than assists (87) — but his dribbling allows him to pull up into open mid-range attempts and slash to the rim against open lanes.

Lewis is more than just a functional off ball operator on offense as well. As mentioned before, he is a strong spot up shooter, solid screener, and uses timely cuts to catch the defense napping at times.

Defense
There are NBA-ready tools like his 6’11” wingspan and agility to help bolster Lewis’ stock, but those tools will still need refining at the next level. Still, his size and quick feet give him the versatility to take on a variety of matchups and hold his own. Even at the point of attack against smaller guards, his great footwork allows him to stay in front of most opponents and active hands help challenge shots at the highest point.

As a couple of potential drawbacks, Lewis’ off ball awareness can be spotty, and his motor does run hot and cold depending on the flow of the game. Lewis is a wiry strong player, but could still stand to fill out his 195-pound frame as he looks to fight with powerful NBA athletes. He’ll need to find consistency to hit his defensive potential, but all in all the ceiling on that end of the floor is very enticing.

Possible fit with the Hawks
Lewis seems to be a late riser in mock drafts, with some projecting him to end up in the lottery and others having him slide toward the end of the first round. The Hawks could certainly pull the trigger at the 15th overall selection, although it might be seen as a reach around the league. Plus, the Hawks have a fairly stocked group at the wings — especially after using the 16th overall pick to grab AJ Griffin a season ago — so the value may not quite be there without some sort of trade down.

But the two-way potential may be too enticing to pass up, and in the modern game it’s often said that you can never have enough versatile wings. Of note, the Atlanta Hawks recently worked him out in Atlanta coming off a strong combine.

After his freshman year, he was named to the 2021-22 West Coast Conference All-Freshman team, and he followed that up with an appearance on the 2022-23 West Coast Conference All-WCC second team. He’s an accomplished player with a tangible upwards trajectory, so I do think he’ll be on the Hawks’ radar in the first round.