OKC Thunder: NBA Draft big board 2.0 – Top 30 prospects
By Rylan Stiles
Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama, 6’3, 165 pounds, 19 years old
When you put on the film of Kira Lewis Jr with the Crimson Tide, the unreal shot-creating prowess of a 19-year-old will stand out. Much of this is due to his fantastic dribble package and otherworldly body control.
On top of his shot creation, Kira Lewis Jr possesses elite speed that helps him blow by defenders offensively, while also chase people around the floor on the defensive end. That speed also allows him to lock up defenders on the ball, and get past screens. The only thing he lacks defensively is size. Bulking up is primary goal number one for Lewis and his future NBA team.
While he can get free on his own, he also does not settle for poor shots. He makes smart decisions within the offense possessing a consistent and solid shooting form that should make NBA front offices happy with his long-term trajectory from beyond the arc. For his career, Lewis Jr. is a 36 percent shooter from deep, scoring 18 points per game a year ago, plus four rebounds, and five assists.
Although some plays make you forget his age, he makes more than his fair share of mistakes per game that immediately remind exactly how old he is. At times he just plows his way into the paint but does not know what to do once he gets there.
The 19-year-old can still improve his playmaking at the point guard spot. While he does not have true glaring issues besides some inopportune drives, nothing about his playmaking is elite.
His growth would be accelerated if he focuses on being more precise in his playmaking. The passes he dishes out often pull players off their spot which hurts their catch-and-shoot ability. While it is recoverable at times in college, that split second to regain a poor pass could turn a wide-open shot into a heavily contested one.