Magic Ex Rashard Lewis Would 'Definitely' Return to Orlando as Coach

Rashard Lewis spent this past season a coach for the Detroit Pistons, but he is expressing one day for a potential return to the Orlando Magic.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 17, 2023

In this story:

Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - Rashard Lewis is reminiscing on the memories he's made with the Orlando Magic.

Lewis, who played with the team from 2007-11 and was part of the most recent NBA Finals roster 15 years ago, is still a beloved figure in the area ... and the feeling is mutual.

Lewis regards Orlando as his "second home," even though he's played and coached elsewhere since leaving the Magic. He retired at the end of the 2013-14 season with the Miami Heat, but joined the Detroit Pistons as a player development coach last year under Dwane Casey.

Nov 13, 2010; Newark, NJ, USA; Orlando Magic power forward Rashard Lewis (9) and New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez (11) battle for loose ball at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O'Connor / Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports

Lewis enjoyed coaching, and hopes maybe one day the Magic would ask him to join its staff.

"My first year was great. I really enjoyed it. I felt like my next chapter in life still being able to be around the game of basketball to me was a blessing. But definitely would love to be back here in Orlando," Lewis said. "I think when Coach [Dwane] Casey reached out to me to have me come to Detroit and help them out, the first thing I thought about was the Orlando Magic. I felt like I was cheating on the Orlando Magic by putting on a different color.

Even though Lewis won a championship with the Heat and played majority of his career with the Seattle SuperSonics, he appears to really have appreciated his time with Orlando, and he has hopes that maybe one day he can continue the journey he started as a player.

Published Sep 17, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.