Justin Lewis: 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report
A physical forward from Marquette, Lewis has a lot of raw tools to work with but questions remain about how he'll harness them on an NBA floor
Draft philosophy 101 has its final exam in a few short weeks. One essay question is guaranteed to be on the final: do you prefer to draft a guy with raw tools or a great deal of skill?
Justin Lewis from Marquette is one of the toolsiest guys in this draft. His natural frame (6’7”, 7’2” wingspan, weighs 235 pounds) allows him to blend in with an NBA team right away. He’s a decent athlete, has insanely massive hands and covers ground both laterally and in straight lines. He isn’t the most imposing athlete vertically, but he’s a really well-rounded athlete who, at first glance, clearly belongs on an NBA court.
Dive into the skill level and Lewis is clearly nowhere near his apex. He doesn’t have enough comfort with his left hand and can get stranded near the rim when playing off two feet. Both lead to an alarmingly low conversion rate at the hoop — something that should never be the case for someone of his ilk. He has the potential to guard multiple positions on defense, but isn’t consistent in space against smalls and often leaves his feet or is undisciplined on his closeouts.
The shooting improvement from freshman (21.9%) to sophomore year (34.9%) is noteworthy, but the form still isn’t the most consistent. He doesn’t have very good feel as a playmaker for others, and it’s hard to envision where his offensive impact will consistently come from if the shot regresses below where it’s currently at.
With all that said, Lewis’ raw toolbox is as rare and full as anyone in the second round of this draft class. If he taps into consistent shooting and greater attention to detail on defense, he’s a valuable 3-and-D guy who guards physically and can be a wing-stopper against the league’s elite. Work on the handle and two-foot scoring near the rim and he’ll put a good amount of pressure on the hoop when attacking closeouts.
There’s a very clear and realistic role for Lewis to fill at the next level, but considerable downside to consider. Every time we watch his film, we see a ton of potential that he has yet to harness and a decent amount of impact while he’s figuring the game out. We also see a frustrating lack of polish in any one area that will make it hard to know exactly which traits he’ll maximize at the next level.
Lewis comes from a quiet, hard-working, and humble Baltimore family. He can play with energy and toughness but is the type of guy to come into a locker room and have a quiet confidence about him. After undergoing a coaching change at Marquette, Lewis blossomed into his own under Shaka Smart, playing in a switchable scheme on defense and having a pretty long leash on offense.