The New Orleans Pelicans may have drafted a point guard while rostering four of them, including Lonzo Ball, but Wednesday’s No. 13 pick Kira Lewis sees a future that includes him playing alongside them with one particular teammate on his mind.
Lewis gained a rightful reputation as arguably the fastest player in college basketball and likely the fastest in the 2020 NBA Draft. Lonzo Ball has long found success guiding up-tempo offenses. To Lewis, that is a dream pairing.
“Just using our advantage to the best of our abilities,” he said on how Ball and he would fit on the court. “Really getting out, playing in the open floor, feeding off each other, having another point guard that’s dynamic and can make plays and create for his teammates as well as himself.
“I feel like it’s going to be a good combination between me and Lonzo.”
Lewis will have big shoes to fill as he steps into the void created by the trade of Jrue Holiday. While he won’t be expected to match Holiday’s production – very few rookies could – Lewis will be tasked with being another piece of the young core.
“I’m extremely excited,” Lewis said of joining the Pelicans. “I watch them all the time, the young and exciting players they have (like) Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball. They’re a very exciting team and I feel like, with me, I can add a piece to that and we can compete even more.
“When I got called, I was very excited because that was one of the teams I felt like I could come in and help with just with my abilities. I just want to go down there, work as hard as I can and show everybody in the league we can compete as well.”
