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