Former Alabama PG Kira Lewis Jr. Gaining Steam As a Lottery Pick Ahead of 2020 NBA Draft

On Thursday, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats addressed the buzz his former point guard is getting with the NBA draft less than two weeks away

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Former University of Alabama guard Kira Lewis Jr. is gaining a lot of buzz heading into the final weeks leading up to the 2020 NBA draft on Nov. 18.

That buzz could see Lewis wind up as a lottery pick when it's all said and done.

Recently, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats had a FaceTime call with Lewis, who was joined by New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, general manager Scott Perry and senior VP William Wesley. 

The Knicks own the No. 8 pick and have reportedly been eyeing the Meridianville, Ala. native.

"I've known those guys for a little bit," Oats told the media via Zoom on Thursday. "They made the connection when they were interviewing Kira and they just FaceTimed me. I coached Kira for a year. He's a great kid. They have a great staff there in New York. I have no idea where that's going but I guess they are interviewing all kinds of people leading into the draft. I don't want people to take to much out of it. It's just a common connection. I coached Kira and i knew those guys when they were with the Pistons when I was up in Michigan. 

"I think they wanted to make Kira feel a little more welcome. We chopped it up and joked around a bit. Talked about Kira's game for a minute then I got off. I know the Knicks are getting a lot of media attention there in New York and they have a high draft pick. They gotta make sure they get the right pick."

Lewis, the lightning-quick point guard, is coming off of a sophomore campaign where he averaged 18.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds across 31 games under Oats. He also earned All-SEC First Team honors while shooting 46 percent from the field and almost 37 percent from three-point range. 

Oats thinks he would be a good fit in the Big Apple if it were to fall that way. 

"Thibodeau is going to get their defense squared up and I think Kira's defense got a lot better last year," Oats said. "We talked about that. I think he is a very talented kid. I think the way the NBA is played now -- it's so spread out and wide open -- you can't put your hands on guys defensively. With the speed and skill level Kira has, he can get in the paint whenever he wants and makes plays. He did well in our system that is so wide open and I think he'll make a great NBA player.

"It will be interesting to see what happens. I'd love for him to go to New York. I think he would be great there. Shoot, I'd like to come to New York and watch a few games when our season is over."

The second-year Alabama coach revealed that almost every team in the league has reached out for more information on Lewis, so it might be getting clearer that the Crimson Tide could have its second guard in three years go in the lottery portion of the draft, joining Collin Sexton in 2018.

"Honestly, from the end of our season until now, it's all NBA teams but maybe one or two," Oats said. "Just about all of them have reached out to do their due diligence ... It's getting sorted out. Those teams kind of in the middle of the lottery to mid-first round, everyone in that range is doing their homework. We are still getting a lot of teams reaching out to us. 

"Kira has zero red flags as a kid. He's a great person off the floor. He works hard and he's in the gym. They can see what he can do on the court. They want to know what he is like off of it."