Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

5 prospects to know for the Orlando Magic’s second-round pick

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Nov 29, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0) and forward Jarace Walker (25) defends as Norfolk State Spartans guard Joe Bryant Jr. (4) shoots during the second half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0) and forward Jarace Walker (25) defends as Norfolk State Spartans guard Joe Bryant Jr. (4) shoots during the second half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine Wave
Feb 18, 2023; Malibu, California, USA; Pepperdine Waves forward Maxwell Lewis (24) goes up for a basket against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Malachi Smith (13) during the first half at Firestone Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

5 prospects to know for Orlando Magic’s second-round pick

Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine

If a player stays in school for any length of time, the big thing NBA scouts want to see is progression. A lot of freshmen are drafted purely on their potential. So when players stay for an extra year, scouts want to see them progress.

If they get better, they are doing the right thing. Or at least they are on the right track.

Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis certainly made that growth. He improved from 11.0 points per game to 17.1 points per game in his sophomore year. He shot 34.8 percent, a slight decrease from his freshman year. But he still held his own on higher usage.

Lewis should return to his averages from his freshman year as he slots into a role rather than being the team’s star.

Lewis though should be able to expand his game a bit. He has some scoring ability off the dribble in addition to his catch-and-shoot prowess.

That latter skill is what will get him and keep him in the NBA. He is a shooter pure and simple. That skill goes a long way.

Still, he has a lot to improve on. He will not be much of a driver other than straight-line drives at the hoop for now. And he still needs to work on his defensive consistency.

The Wave asked him to be a scorer last year and that heavy usage probably prevented him from unlocking his defensive potential. But that is someplace he has to get better at to see the floor.

Still, Lewis has all the tools to be an excellent player. He can shoot and that is always a start. He also displays his athleticism plenty. Lewis would be a clean fit for the Magic in many ways as a second-round option.