Lewis getting an opportunity with Bulls
Marquette's Justin Lewis was expected to be a second-round pick in the NBA draft on Thursday.
Instead, 58 selections were made and Lewis' name wasn't called. But minutes after the draft ended, the Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Lewis will sign a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Lewis had a rapid rise over his two seasons at MU. The Baltimore native committed to former Golden Eagles coach Steve Wojciechowski as a top 75 prospect in the 2020 class.
Lewis averaged 7.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21 minutes per game as a freshman and had a highlight tap-in to beat rival Wisconsin in his fourth college game. But a leg injury hampered him late in the season.
Lewis stayed at MU after a coaching change and enjoyed a breakout sophomore season under Shaka Smart. He averaged 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game and was named to the all-Big East first team. He was also honored as the conference's most improved player.
Lewis declared for the draft in April and then, after working out for almost 20 NBA teams, announced on June 1 that he was forgoing his remaining
NCAA eligibility.
"He's just on a great trajectory right now," Smart said of Lewis earlier this month. "The guys that I've been around and I've coached at VCU, Texas and then here, guys that have made the leap or attempted to make the leap from college to the NBA, the No. 1 thing you can have going for you is to be going (up).
"And he really is. If you look at what he did his sophomore year compared to his freshman year and the way that he grew, not just as a player but as a person, it was incredible."
NBA teams have long been intrigued by Lewis' physical gifts. At the NBA combine in May, his wingspan measured 7 feet 2.5 inches. His hand width was measured at 10.5 inches.
Lewis also has shown a rapid improvement in his shooting. His threepoint percentage increased from 21.9% his first season at MU to 35.2% on a much larger volume.
But there were concerns among NBA teams about Lewis' footspeed and if he could guard on the perimeter at the NBA level.
Now Lewis will need to continue improving while logging time in the G League.
"It's a situation where now 'OK, I find out where I'm going and who I'm playing for' and now it's time to continue that trajectory," Smart said. "I'm excited for him. When you get to that level, obviously the competition goes up, the expectations go up.
"He's going to have a learning curve like anyone else. But he's a great guy who's really grown and he's really motivated. He's been working his butt off. So I'm excited to follow him and root for him."