The NBA draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 23. The Milwaukee Bucks are going to have some interesting decisions to make on who they want to use the pick on, or if they even want to use the pick. One player that could be a potential fit for Milwaukee is Justin Lewis out of Marquette.
Justin Lewis
- College: Marquette
- Position: Power Forward
- Height: 6’8″
- Weight: 235 lbs
- Draft Age: 20
- Stats: 16.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Milwaukee Bucks Draft Scouting Report: Justin Lewis – Strengths
Physical Tools
Justin Lewis’ physical tools make him one of the more interesting draft prospects this year. He’s a good scorer, but what he can do as an all-around player could intrigue the Bucks. At 6’8″ with a 7-2 wingspan, he has a frame that will allow him to play the three or four at the NBA at an elite level.
Scouts regard him as one of the top athletes in this year’s class, so he would fit in well with the current Bucks team.
The Bucks need to get younger and bigger this year. With someone who can come in and possibly make an impact on both sides of the ball for a position the Bucks need, it would make sense if the Bucks think about drafting him.
Scoring
During his 2021-2022 season with the Golden Eagles, he shot 44.0% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range on 5.2 attempts per game. The three-point shot is a work in progress for him, but shooting nearly 35% on over five attempts per game should make the Bucks consider taking him due to the open shots he can get from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
He’s had his struggles at times of being too shot-dependent, but for the most part, he can score the basketball at a high level. He excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays, is an above-average mid-range shooter, is an above-average low post scorer, and is a good rebounder for his size.
In his sophomore season, he averaged 1.06 points per catch and shoot jump shots in the half-court, which ranked him in the 63rd percentile. He only scored 0.55 points per attempt as a freshman, indicating that the jump shot is improving.
Justin Lewis averaged 0.82 points per dribble jump shot in the half-court, which showed off his athleticism and making tough shots in the mid-post.
Defensive Potential
This is where the one issue can come for the Bucks and Lewis. He’s not regarded as a bad defender, but he needs to be better. Everybody who watches the Bucks knows that if you’re not playing defense at a somewhat high level, you’re unlikely to play for coach Mike Budenholzer.
He had some impressive defensive possessions throughout the season, but there’s still room for improvement. With him being 6’8″, he should be able to develop his defensive game, but the question for the Bucks is how long would they wait for that?