Zion finds Bledsoe for the and-1. NBA Privacy Center | The young man "always loved a challenge," as his mom put it. On November 30, 2020, he signed with the Pelicans. He's an NBA lottery pick. His average points in the past two weeks have increased by 4.4 PPG. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, as the Alabama point guard in the rugged, unforgiving Southeastern Conference. Unreal because, as far back as anyone can remember, Lewis has been as humble and unassuming off the court as he's been dazzling on it. He won't turn 20 till April. In the first game of his sophomore season at Alabama under Oats, the new head coach, Lewis hit a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to give the Crimson Tide the lead over Penn. 6, 2001 to Kira Sr. and Natasha Lewis. Baylor Coach Scott Drew, who was recruiting him, called Anderson to relay how well the young prospect had played. So maybe it wasn't as out of the ordinary as it seemed that he graduated from Hazel Green High School in three years and enrolled at Alabama at 17 as the youngest player in Division I basketball that season. Anderson's phone buzzed with another call, this one from his star pupil. by Ricky Wilson, Future150 (12:55 PM CT, Tue May 19, 2015) 2019 Kira Lewis out of Alabama is looking to make a move. Zion finds Bledsoe for the and-1. [6], In his sophomore season opener, Lewis scored a then-career-high 30 points in an 81–80 loss to Penn. Lewis played basketball for Hazel Green High School in Hazel Green, Alabama for three years. He had 10 points that game. Headen pauses to reflect. No portion of NBA.com may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas is talking on the big screen. [4] He tied his season-high of 24 points against Georgia in February 2019. 5-star guard Kira Lewis, Jr. started his NBPA Top 100 camp off with a bang. He is currently 1899 points behind the leader: Luka Doncic. All rights reserved. Kira Lewis Jr was born in Meridianville, Alabama, the United States of America on April 6, 2001.; Kira’s age as of 2020 is exactly 19 years old and at such an early age he signed for the professional basketball team in the country. Kira Lewis was a rotational player to start the year. It's NBA Draft Night, and the community has gathered for an unprecedented watch party and celebration. Lewis Jr.’s Family . ), while ranking third in 3-point field goal percentage (.358). Either he is injured or is just plain bad. And, after that ninth-grade season, no more football. The son of Kira Sr. and Natasha Lewis, he has two sisters, named Nakerra and Nesha. Oui, Lewis vit selon la devise speed tue, selon son père, Kira Lewis Sr. Naturellement, la vitesse n’est qu’un ingrédient pour être le meneur de la NBA / général au sol. ", Copyright © 2021 NBA Media Ventures, LLC. To opt out of the sale of your personal information as permitted by the California Consumer Lewis didn't necessarily have to focus on basketball to make it as an athlete. He was born to Kira Sr. and Natasha Lewis. The basketball world in Alabama really took notice at a holiday tournament during Lewis' junior year. Jeffers remembered the … As a junior, he averaged 28.5 points a game, was named Class 6A player of the year and led Hazel Green to just the third state championship game in school history. Lewis played for the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece. [13], Lewis was selected with the 13th pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. Kira registered a career high 16 points and 6 assists on March 23rd against the LA Lakers. "We're all waiting for our Kira Lewis Jr. jerseys for Christmas," said Headen, the Hazel Green principal. Zion finds Bledsoe for the and-1. The average Kira Lewis is around 43 years of age with around 59% falling in to the age group of 21-40. Headen wanted to see for himself so he started watching her brother play ball. "He goes in behind him and blocks it off the backboard. [1] He was originally in the 2019 class but graduated early from high school and reclassified to 2018. Terrific start for Lewis. They won the tournament the next night. re: Kira Lewis starting to surge for NOLA Posted by TigerLunatik on 3/29/21 at 11:15 pm to Tuscaloosa 74.1% for the season. Anderson said good-bye to Drew and hello to Lewis, who had a request. Lewis scored six points in his first career game versus Southern. It didn't take long to notice that the pretzel-thin, pin-drop-quiet young man from the middle school hallways had a different and definite presence on the basketball floor. Hard work, fierce belief and unwavering support. This is the dream Kira Lewis Jr. dreamed as far back as his parents can remember. Joining them on the first team are Kira Lewis Jr. of Alabama and the Kentucky duo of Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards. "I said, 'We'll see.' "This was when he was young. Yes, Lewis lives by the motto speed kills, based on his father, Kira Lewis Sr… He practically beat his mom, Natasha, in a foot race at age 5. 14/3/2021 AP. Even then, he moved at a different speed. If you don't have the confidence he can keep it up, then trade him for a sure thing. It was a Sunday night after a successful high-profile tournament, and still he felt he needed more work. To be a better player, you have to play better players. So sports came naturally to their only son (they also have daughters Nakerra and … After Lewis smoked a few of them, Jeffers said, there would be no more racing or taunting. Next. Do Not Sell My Personal Information | They had no idea the work he put in. Ricky Wilson: Jr.Future150 GM/Sr.Analyst. Fortunately for SEC and NFL defensive backs, he doesn't like cold weather. Kira's parents, Natasha and Kira Lewis Sr. have traveled to the "big easy" to see their son in action. His work in the classroom, earning enough credits to graduate in three years, made it possible. 0:29. When Commissioner Adam Silver announces that, with the 13th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans have selected Kira Lewis Jr., from the University of Alabama, the room erupts for one of its favorite sons. "I'm not saying he would've been as good as (Alabama All-American wide receiver) DeVonta Smith," Todd Jeffers said, "but he absolutely could've been a college football player. Next. Lewis Jr., Kira, Pelicans, 2020 NBA Draft. As a senior, Lewis averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.9 steals per game, leading his team to the Alabama Class 6A semifinals. Naturally, speed is only one ingredient in being standout NBA point guard/floor general. Unless he was tapping his toes inside an imaginary backyard sideline, waiting for you to spiral a pass he could catch and then tumble out of bounds. Experts don't even rank him among PG's. Those middle school basketball games Jeffers had watched, when Lewis would display rare speed and skill and a unique basketball IQ, when "he would get up and down the floor like The Flash," were no mirage. He earned first-team All-SEC honors. Anything else, we don't have to do.". As a junior, he averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 steals per game and led his team to the Alabama Class 6A semifinals. Accolades for Kira Lewis. 9 in 1987) and Robert Horry (No. But … They knew their son better than the doubters who wondered if he was too young and too frail to succeed Collin Sexton, the No. "Everybody knew basketball was his first love," Jeffers said. "It came from us," she said. "He understood that speed kills," says his father, Kira Lewis Sr. "He ran like he did not want to be touched." But there would be no sense of entitlement or privilege even now from this increasingly famous alum. Based on his stats from the past 30 days, he is currently ranked 78th with 430 total points (13.44 avg). View this post on Instagram. It's still kinda unreal.". He became the 2nd player in school history to reach this accomplishment. ... 6-4, 205, Sr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Score! [14] On November 30, 2020, he signed with the Pelicans.[15]. Manage Preferences. [16], "Hazel Green's Kira Lewis stepped up as leader, earns Huntsville top basketball honor", "Alabama Men's Basketball Signs Kira Lewis, will Enroll in Classes this Fall", "Kira Lewis commits to Alabama, reclassifies to 2018", "The talk about Kira Lewis Jr. is shifting from his age to his consistency", "Kira Lewis is staying at Alabama after flirting with transfer", "Alabama Will Look to an Older, More Experienced Kira Lewis Jr. for Success Under Nate Oats", "Dingle lifts Penn to 81–80 opening win over Alabama", "Lewis scores career-high 37 as Alabama tops Georgia in OT", "Wiley, No. ". They were gone every time, and Anderson stopped checking. "To me, that was very nice.". Thanks to his parents, Kira Jr. kept his eyes and his mind on his books and on the prize, and here he is, on the cusp of his NBA rookie season at the tender age of 19. ESPN stats In the latest press conference, Executive VP David Griffin says that Kira has really been putting in the work in the weight room. Terms of Use | [12] After the season, Lewis declared for the 2020 NBA draft. [8] On February 12, he became the first Alabama player since 1996 to record a triple double, posting 10 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a 95–91 overtime loss to Auburn. "She told me, 'My brother can play basketball,' " Headen said. Zion finds Bledsoe for the and-1. "If we had Trendon Watford," said Anderson, the Hazel Green coach at the time, "we don't win that game. Your brother can play basketball.". He could do whatever he wanted to do. And then mom or dad would accompany their son to his workout, serving as his rebounder, demonstrating that his journey may seem unreal in terms of what he's achieved, but it's totally real in how he's achieved it. 2 in 1995), Leon Douglas (No. Was the youngest active Division I men’s basketball player in 2018-19. Led by Lewis and his 35 points, the Trojans rallied to win the game in overtime. She and her husband did. Hazel Green had never won the long-running Huntsville Times Classic, modernized for the Internet age as the AL.com Classic. Kira Lewis Jr. was born Apr. Anderson lived across the street from the high school gym, and that first August as the school year began, the sophomore point guard started asking the coach to leave the gym keys in his mailbox so he could put in work before school began. [7] Lewis scored a career-high 37 points on February 8, 2020, in a 105–102 overtime win against Georgia. Dr. Quinn Headen remembers the conversation like it was yesterday. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports. He texted right back: 'I love you, coach.' The Trojans didn't win that game, but for a young man who wanted to make basketball his career, it was time to take on a new challenge. "We looked at it like this. 0:29. I used to get worried. The top state of residence is California, followed by Florida. If you make a request through Breakdown Kira Lewis Jr. Overview. Alabama Coach Nate Oats and Athletics Director Greg Byrne are mingling. [9] On February 25, Lewis contributed 29 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a 80–73 loss to Mississippi State. Headen, who became the Hazel Green High School principal a year before Lewis arrived as a freshman, takes in the "surreal" scene. It's the dream Natasha and Kira Lewis Sr. encouraged in their son, who was a three-sport athlete from an early age. He figured out, 'I know this is what I want to do the rest of my life.". He was the assistant principal at Meridianville Middle School in Hazel Green, a growing but tight-knit community in north Alabama near Huntsville. Privacy Act, please use the links below to visit each company’s privacy center. "This really just happened. Accessibility and Closed Caption | [10] At the conclusion of the regular season, Lewis was named to the First Team All-SEC. "He didn't have any other choice," his mom said of his strong academic performance, "because in our house, it's God, family and school. "I used to catch him in his sleep talking basketball," Kira Sr. said. [3], In his freshman season with Alabama, Lewis, at age 17, was the second-youngest player in NCAA Division I basketball behind Everett Perrot of Pepperdine and was the youngest player to appear in a game. I thought Kira was the best player in the state.". He missed both free throws, and despite his career-high 30 points, Alabama lost 81-80. Virtually everyone in the vicinity of Meridianville and Hazel Green is a Pelicans fan now. He stopped playing football after running past JV defenders as a freshman wide receiver and punt returner, but his first high school basketball coach swears he could've done the same at Alabama. "If he said he was going to do it," Anderson said, "he did it.". [5] Lewis averaged 13.5 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. — Zion Williamson scored 27 points, Brandon Ingram added 23 and the New Orleans Pelicans took their second straight lopsided victory with a 135-115 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night. WarnerMedia Privacy Center | Kira Lewis Jr. (2) Guard - Career Accolades • Helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2019 FIBA Men's Basketball U-19 World Cup • 2019 SEC All-Freshman Williamson, Ingram power Pelicans past Clippers 135-115. Kira Lewis in the US . Tags. He was considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports. You don't see that in middle school.". [2] On August 10, 2018, Lewis committed to Alabama over several major NCAA Division I offers, including from Indiana and Kansas. He is very private about his personal life and hasn’t revealed any information relating to his personal space. Mais vous ne pouvez pas enseigner la vitesse. Lewis was selected with the 13th pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. He'd made second-team all-state as a freshman, first-team as a sophomore and junior. 11 in 1992) have been drafted higher. ; He is currently single and doesn’t have a girlfriend as he is just focused on his professional career. Based on his stats from the past 30 days, he is currently ranked 80th with 365 total points (12.59 avg). Danny Anderson coached Lewis during his second and third high school basketball seasons. He's the young man who, in preparation for the draft during the Covid-19 pandemic, needed a gym to work on his game. The coach didn't want to get to school and have to return to retrieve his keys. That early scouting report on Kira Lewis Jr. proved prophetic, but little did anyone in that school or that town know how well he would grow up to play it or how far it would take him. 40.4k Followers, 632 Following, 10 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Kira Lewis Jr. (@kiralewis2) Ask Hazel Green High School secretary Donna Jo Sharp, whose son Alex played basketball and baseball with Lewis from a young age. assists (2.9 apg. "I texted him after the (Penn) game," Anderson said. ", After watching their son perform at a big-time AAU tournament in California after his junior year, Kira Sr. said, "there was no sense in coming back for his senior year.". ), 20-point games (5) and minutes (31.6 mpg. The visitors recaptured a one-point advantage but fouled Lewis with less than 3 seconds to play. Kira Sr. shares a memory that captures the depth of his son's love for the game. 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To retrieve his keys, losing in the first team All-SEC vicinity of Meridianville and Hazel Green, for! High School to watch a native son hit this kind of conflict on... 12 of 26 3-point attempts work in the 2020 NBA draft Byrne are mingling it an. `` we 're all waiting for our Kira Lewis Jr. of Alabama history `` to me that... 7 p.m. Could Anderson open the gym for him about 7:30 38 assists as a freshman led Alabama in (... Kira, Pelicans, 2020, he is currently single and doesn ’ t revealed information! Just happen? behind the leader: Luka Doncic [ 1 ] he his!