Malique Lewis Is Trying To Make It Work With South East Melbourne Phoenix

South East Melbourne Phoenix have won four out of six since star guard Derrick Walton Jr. went down with a season-ending hamstring injury. In the face of their rise, Next Star Malique Lewis continues to try to define himself and help the Phoenix succeed.
Malique Lewis
Malique Lewis / Permission via NBL - Cassy Athena

When Derrick Walton Jr. went down with a season-ending hamstring injury in early January, it provided an opportunity for Owen Foxwell to step up and he has. The Phoenix have won four out of six since, and Foxwell has seen his minutes and scoring rise in the process. But he’s not the only draft prospect on the Phoenix. Next Star Malique Lewis, who has had an up-and-down season, has continued to establish a consistent role and set of responsibilities with the team this season, especially during this stretch.

At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Lewis’ athleticism remains a plus for the Phoenix. He can guard multiple positions and provide supportive rim protection, but generally, Lewis’ defensive output has been subpar this season. He’s been better in direct on-ball matchups due to his length and lateral quickness, and he does a good job of disrupting actions, but his anticipation skills, screen navigation, and overall defensive communication haven’t matched the on-ball proficiency. 

Lewis gets put in a lot of screen actions - both on and off-ball - and opponents regularly get open out of these sets. Some of this is because Lewis is getting regularly tasked with opposing teams' top-notch players, and the breakdowns aren’t all on him, but it’s clear he’s getting targeted and somewhat exploited in this regard. 

On offense, Lewis is averaging 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 42/30/68 shooting splits across 88 three-point attempts and 51 free throws. Those numbers are fine, and would probably be slightly better if his teammates looked for him a bit more. The Phoenix have talent, but most of that talent has tunnel vision for the rim. Matthew Hurt, Angus Glover, Jordan Hunter, and Nathan Sobey need no invitation to let it fly from anywhere and everywhere they deem reasonable. Add Foxwell and his NBA draft desires to the list, and Lewis quickly becomes the fifth and final option in a few lineups. 

Given Lewis’ slightly below-average three-point shooting it makes sense why he gets ignored when open beyond the arc every now and then, but even on cuts to the rim, Lewis appears to be a ghost for his teammates. He gets disregarded entirely sometimes and while the overall offensive game seems limited, he has maintained solid efficiency as a cutter and spot-up player this season - 85th and 70th percentile respectively, per Synergy Sports - and also has not tried to force offense with any regularity which is impressive given his shrinking NBA Drafty stock window. 

Lewis will be approaching 21 years old on a draft day, and while the challenges of this season might make him consider waiting out the 2025 class, there’s no telling if that will be helpful or not. Lewis looks like he’ll be a late second-round project that a team tells themselves they can develop. His efficiency in key offensive areas where you want a role player to be additive to your stars, alongside the defensive upside he has simply based on his physique, will make at least a few front offices wonder if there’s an NBA player in there somewhere down the road.


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Andrew Bernucca
ANDREW BERNUCCA

Andrew has covered professional basketball overseas for the better part of six years. He has written scouting reports, profile pieces, news briefs, and more. He has also covered and writen about the NBA as well during his time as a journalist.