Kira Lewis Jr. Shines With Squadrons

Kira Lewis Jr. made his debut with the Pelicans Birmingham affiliate, and he looks ready to contribute.

On Thursday, Pelicans guard Kira Lewis Jr. returned to the court with the Birmingham Squadrons after suffering a season-ending ACL injury on December 8, 2021. Lewis took little time to make an immediate impact on the game.

Lewis was dynamic and finished the game with 18 points, two assists, one rebound, and three steals in just 17 minutes of play. 

KIRA. IS. BACK.#SquadUp pic.twitter.com/AFFbpKJmmR

— Birmingham Squadron (@GleagueSquadron) November 17, 2022

He looked quick, dynamic, and agile. These qualities led New Orleans to draft him as the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Before his injury, Lewis averaged 6.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 78 appearances.

It has been a long journey for Lewis, going through a difficult rehabilitation before the Pelicans designated him to 3-on-3 basketball in October.

He began running 5-on-5 drills with the team before being designated to G-League play with the Squadrons. Also, in October, the team picked up the 4th year option on his contract.

Lewis will continue in the G-League as he gets back into game shape before returning to the team later. While his role with the team is undefined, many teammates, including Naji Marshall, are happy to see Lewis' progress.

Hopefully, he will soon return to the Pelicans.

Read More Pelicans News:

• Pelicans Defeat Bulls After Strong Night From Trey Murphy III
• Zion Williamson Asks Pelicans Scoop To Grade Defense!
• Pelicans Bide Time with Big Man Rotations
• Zion Williamson, Pelicans Still Need An Identity
• CJ McCollum Propels Pelicans Past Ja Morant's Grizzlies
• Willie Green Says Pelicans Still Talking Back-To-Back Strategy
• NBA Peers, Scouting Circles Show Respect For Willie Green
• Pelicans Not Quite Top-10 In ESPN's Futures Power Rankings
• CJ McCollum Still Carving Out Role With Pelicans