Zach confirming Lewis visit.
St. John's is currently hosting top-35 high school recruit Acaden Lewis, per his Instagram.
Available Lead Guards
- Thread starter Amaseinyourface
- Start date
St. John's is currently hosting top-35 high school recruit Acaden Lewis, per his Instagram.
He is good ivy or not. Watched him several times.
No doubt, but not as good as the forum is making him out to be.
The Ivy has been crushed by the NIL/Portal era.
Including past "targets" and available guys, interest can be debated.
Bold = Priority Target
Italics = considered heavy leans elsewhere
Cross through = committed elsewhere
High School Senior
Not in Portal Yet
Top Tier
High Major below Top Tier
Lower Level
Bold = Priority Target
Italics = considered heavy leans elsewhere
Cross
High School Senior
- Acaden Lewis - 6'2 - 4 Star - DC
Not in Portal Yet
- DJ Wagner - 11P/ 3R/ 4A/ 30% 3fg
Top Tier
- Xaivian Lee (Princeton) - 17P/ 6R/ 5.5A/ 37% 3fg (going
) Silas Demary (Georgia)Jaland Lowe (Pitt)Tre Donaldson (Mich)
High Major below Top Tier
- Duke Miles (recently available again. Solid all around and had >25% Ast% all 4 years prior to this last)
- Malachi Smith (Dayton) - 10P/ 3R/ 5.3A/ 38% 3fg (Going )
Frankie Collins (TCU) -Nick Boyd (SDST)Tre Holloman (MSU)Naithan George (GTech)
Lower Level
- Adam Njie (Iona) - 12.4P/ 3R/ 4A/ 29% 3fg
- Jacari Lane (North Alabama) - 17 P/ 3R/ 4A/ 40% 3fg
- Marcus Millender (UTSA) - 15P/ 3R/ 3.3A/ 44% 3fg
- Blaise Threatt (Weber St.) - 20P/ 6R/ 4.4A/ 30% 3fg
JJ White (Omaha)
I know Nova had zoom meeting with him recently. No info, but would not be surprised if this unfolds quickly. I have not seen any other scheduled visits for him, but we’ll see on that.
Below is a portion of the linked article by 247's Adam Finkelstein
Lewis is a lefty lead guard who is extremely talented with the ball. He has soft hands and natural touch that are the foundation of a very advanced skill-set. His handle is tight, he’s a lay-up maker with both hands, and he has soft floaters and tough pull-ups alike in the mid-range area. While Lewis connected on just 31% of his threes during EYBL play, he’s a much better shooter than those numbers indicate. He made 83% of his free-throws, attempted nearly 7 threes per game, and projects as someone who not only has gravity spotting up but can be a movement shooter as well.
In total, there isn’t much Lewis can’t do with the ball in his hands, but the area where he’s shown the most growth is in becoming a true lead guard and making those around him better. He still has a high-volume approach with the ball in his hands, and is generally more focused on throwing assists than he is otherwise moving the ball, but his floor vision and delivery both impressed this year as he finished in the top three in the EYBL in assists. He’s a threat coming off screens, both on and off the ball, but has a tendency to stand and watch without the ball in his hands unless it’s a pre-determined action.
Physically, Lewis is naturally leaner and not the 6-foot-3 that is sometimes listed (his last official measurement was 6’0.5 without shoes in the summer before his junior year), but does have long arms to compensate. He’s also older for his grade, having turned 19 in October, and that extra year of high school has really helped him to hold his own physically and be capable of absorbing more contact than he was a year ago. Defensively, he has the hands to be a playmaker and is also a good rebounding guard, but isn’t always able to sustain disciplined and consistent effort on that end of the floor.
Overall, he’s one of the most talented guards in the country in terms of what he can do with the ball in his hands, but his long-term ceiling will be based on his efficiency, defensive commitment, ability to build up his body and withstand physicality in the years ahead.
Lewis is a lefty lead guard who is extremely talented with the ball. He has soft hands and natural touch that are the foundation of a very advanced skill-set. His handle is tight, he’s a lay-up maker with both hands, and he has soft floaters and tough pull-ups alike in the mid-range area. While Lewis connected on just 31% of his threes during EYBL play, he’s a much better shooter than those numbers indicate. He made 83% of his free-throws, attempted nearly 7 threes per game, and projects as someone who not only has gravity spotting up but can be a movement shooter as well.
In total, there isn’t much Lewis can’t do with the ball in his hands, but the area where he’s shown the most growth is in becoming a true lead guard and making those around him better. He still has a high-volume approach with the ball in his hands, and is generally more focused on throwing assists than he is otherwise moving the ball, but his floor vision and delivery both impressed this year as he finished in the top three in the EYBL in assists. He’s a threat coming off screens, both on and off the ball, but has a tendency to stand and watch without the ball in his hands unless it’s a pre-determined action.
Physically, Lewis is naturally leaner and not the 6-foot-3 that is sometimes listed (his last official measurement was 6’0.5 without shoes in the summer before his junior year), but does have long arms to compensate. He’s also older for his grade, having turned 19 in October, and that extra year of high school has really helped him to hold his own physically and be capable of absorbing more contact than he was a year ago. Defensively, he has the hands to be a playmaker and is also a good rebounding guard, but isn’t always able to sustain disciplined and consistent effort on that end of the floor.
Overall, he’s one of the most talented guards in the country in terms of what he can do with the ball in his hands, but his long-term ceiling will be based on his efficiency, defensive commitment, ability to build up his body and withstand physicality in the years ahead.
I think it is an apples to oranges thing. Wagner was the number 4 rated recruit in the 2023 class. He represents a high level of athleticism and talent. Playing his first two years at U.K. and Arkansas he has been successful, but not wildly so. Would he dominate the Ivys? Probably so. That said, he will need to continue to grow in order for him to be the point guard to lead us to the promised land. On the other hand at a lower level of play, at Princeton, Xaivian Lee has performed at a higher level than Wagner has. His assist to turnover ratio is much better and his three point shooting is also better than Wagner's. I have seen him play numerous times and he is pretty athletic, but moving up to better competition is always a concern and it would be somewhat unknowable of how much the higher level of competition would affect him.
If you wanted to look at a recent comparison of an Ivy point guard making the leap to a higher level, you might want to look at Michael Smith moving up from Columbia to Michigan for the 2020/2021 season. While his PPG dropped significantly from 22 to 9 after transferring to Michigan, he was actually much better with his assist to turnover ratio and 3 point shooting percentage as a Wolverine. Bottom line was that he was able to be Michigan's starting point guard. He led them to a number one seed that season. They advanced to the elite eight in the tournament, where they lost a two point heart breaker to UCLA. Overall I would say Smith was different, but still quite successful at the higher level.
Looks great, and notwithstanding his lack of college minutes, I think Pitino could mold him into a high level college PG by end of the season, but does he belong in the portal thread?
Maybe I am not right (hell I’ve never saw Acaden Lewis play) but I would look at him as insurance backup for whomever the more experienced PG we add. This team is trending toward being a real Tournament threat and relying on an unknown at the point would be risky. Anyone else feel this way?
Blocked by Obekpa
Well-known member
Yes. I don’t want a freshman to be the primary option at point guard. He’s also in the range of the rankings where there is no guarantee that he will be able to make any impact in his first season.
He shoots from his chest. Or , more accurately, in front of his body. Plus he carries the ball all the time, and he dribbles with his head down.
Now you know why my eyes don’t rate him. I’m sure Coach sees it, and evaluated if it’s all quickly correctable.
Maybe that’s why it isn’t a match. Maybe the offer, which I understand was made, might not have met expectations. We may never know.
I hope you now all understand my reservations.
Reasonable minds can differ.
If the kid has the goods I’m not really that concerned of the fact that he’s a freshman
Freshmen aren’t the commodity they once were in CBB but I gotta be honest I feel like there’s an over correction going on where people are starting to be scared of using freshmen… I am not
Freshmen aren’t the commodity they once were in CBB but I gotta be honest I feel like there’s an over correction going on where people are starting to be scared of using freshmen… I am not
Fair points.
Safe to say Pitino wants to win now and sometimes there are casualties in the process. For example if he chose to add two PGs as he originally said, something would have to give. Oh well, I am getting sheafed of myself. Land one lol
MugCostanza
Well-known member
Lewis would be a very good get at this point in the cycle given our roster and assuming we do land another experienced PG to pair him with. He'd be a low risk high reward guy as if he struggles like many Freshmen do we'll be able to survive it but if he plays well he would raise the team's ceiling.
He's ranked 35th on 247 right now which is that area of the rankings where you really don't know what to expect in a Freshman season. Last year some notable players ranked in the 30-40 range were:
Ahmad Nowell (33rd)
Labaron Philon (34th)
Kasparas Jakucionis (36th)
Jase Richardson (37th)
If he ends up being like Nowell in his Freshman season then we'll just have to lean on the experienced PG we get plus have Sim play spot minutes as the lead guard. I think guys like Jakucionis and Richardson were extreme examples of guys balling out in their Freshman season from this ranking range, but if he comes even a little bit close to being a Labaron Philon level player in year one then we'll be in serious business come March.
He's ranked 35th on 247 right now which is that area of the rankings where you really don't know what to expect in a Freshman season. Last year some notable players ranked in the 30-40 range were:
Ahmad Nowell (33rd)
Labaron Philon (34th)
Kasparas Jakucionis (36th)
Jase Richardson (37th)
If he ends up being like Nowell in his Freshman season then we'll just have to lean on the experienced PG we get plus have Sim play spot minutes as the lead guard. I think guys like Jakucionis and Richardson were extreme examples of guys balling out in their Freshman season from this ranking range, but if he comes even a little bit close to being a Labaron Philon level player in year one then we'll be in serious business come March.
I can easily envision Ian and Sim as our backcourt, with Lewis as the backup PG.
Coach wants size. Switching 1-4. That’s why Deivon sat even when healthy and Kadary started at PG.
Coach brought in Deivon to start as PG. He was limited in switching ability. Sim was brought in to start at PG. He has the physical tools. He has matured. He was great for us. Many many big plays and leadership. Just watch Vice to recall.
Our backcourt with Sim and Ian, fingers crossed, will be great. They are both big strong and skilled.
Lewis will learn and develop if he commits and then star as a Sophomore at PG if he accepts Coach’s tutelage.
All of course, The Good Lord willing.