Maxwell Lewis Checks the Boxes OKC Needs in Draft

Maxwell Lewis has had interesting path to the draft but the Pepperdine forward is ready for the next step.

Oklahoma City struck gold out of the West Coast Conference the last time they selected a prospect at pick No. 12 in the NBA Draft.

That player was 2022 selection Jalen Williams, who wrapped up his season as a Rookie of the Year finalist and a rising star in the OKC organization. Williams came to the Thunder by way of Santa Clara, a small program with a known knack for producing solid NBA players.

This year, the Thunder are again projected to have the No. 12 overall pick in the draft, though the lottery has not officially landed them their selection. And much like a year ago a player from the same conference as Santa Clara could find himself near the top available players at the pick.

Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis is currently projected as a late lottery pick, but would be one of the top available prospects at a position of need for OKC around their projected landing place. Lewis is a 6-foot-7, 195 pound sophomore forward, who is a dynamic scorer and can work the glass.

Lewis averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season for the Waves. He showed consistent shooting ability knocking down 46.8% of his attempts from the field. Though he did see a slight decline in his 3-point shooting from his freshman to his sophomore season, Lewis did shoot 35.4% from beyond the arc in his career on 4.3 attempts per game.

He would also provide any team with a versatile defender who can defend multiple positions, and do so at a high level with his length and athleticism. As far as his fit with OKC, Lewis provides the Thunder with an answer to their wing help, defense and 3-point shooting. 

Lewis checks the boxes of the type of player who OKC could plug into their rotation, likely off of the bench, and make an immediate impact to the depth of the team. Lewis enters the league with a relatively high floor, but also has a high ceiling with his natural abilities. A team like Oklahoma City, where he will have less immediate pressure to perform, could be what Lewis needs to fulfill his potential, and have a long productive career.

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