2020 NBA Draft: Kira Lewis drafted by New Orleans Pelicans

Kira Lewis was taken by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Alabama basketball had one former player waiting to see where he would go in the 2020 NBA Draft. Kira Lewis expected to go relatively early in the first round on Wednesday, and he did just that. Kira was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans.

Lewis has a lot of upside as an NBA prospect. He is young despite playing two years in college. He also has a ton of speed and athleticism. This alone has helped him tear apart defenses in the SEC. He will carry these attributes with him to the NBA while he develops other traits. Going late in the lottery was the most likely scenario for the Alabama PG.

Lewis is where the NBA is going in terms of skill set. Nate Oats is running an NBA scheme with Alabama basketball, and Lewis was the driving force for the Crimson Tide. He spaced the floor with his shooting, attacked in transition with his speed, and distributed well as a point guard. If he keeps getting better, he will have more than enough talent to be a contributing factor on a strong team.

The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the brightest futures in the NBA. They won the Zion Williamson lottery last season and traded Anthony Davis for a trove of assets from Los Angeles. They now have a young core of Zion, Lonzo Ball, Kira Lewis and other young stars. They will have a great chance to improve their roster with more draft picks from numerous trades in the future.

Kira Lewis will be playing alongside Lonzo Ball at guard, so it will be interesting to see when he starts. Plenty of NBA teams are going to a front of two point guards, and the Pelicans will need another guard after trading Jrue Holiday.

Kira Lewis will have a great time in New Orleans. He will grow as a player, and the New Orleans Pelicans will get better as a team. We’ll have to see what else the Pelicans do in the 2020 NBA Draft, but this is a great start.