Inside how South East Melbourne Next Star Malique Lewis is proving Josh Giddey’s NBA call on money

Josh Giddey has declared him an NBA talent and South East Melbourne’s Malique Lewis is shooting up draft boards. Inside the world of the 202cm Caribbean kid with the basketball world at his feet.

Josh Giddey took one look at South East Melbourne Next Star Malique Lewis and immediately felt the Phoenix had a future NBA player on their hands.

Boomers phenom Giddey watched the Trinidadian in a pre-season clash with Melbourne United while on break from the NBA and was immediately struck by the then-19-year-old’s physical presence and ability at the defensive end.

“He’s in the top echelon of defenders in the league and, when you’re able to switch one-through-five, it’s a coach’s dream to be able to play you,” said Giddey, who began his pro career as a Next Star in Adelaide.

“When you see kids come over here, they can look a little skinny or not up to it, physically, but he looks ready from the jump to compete at the pro level.

“I’m excited … I think he’s going to be a hell of a player.”

Malique Lewis has impressed as a Next Star. Picture: Mark Stewart

Giddey said the 202cm wing, now 20, possessed attributes that NBA teams valued.

“He can switch, he’s versatile, he can guard multiple positions, block shots, contest, plays hard, is athletic and that’s what everyone looks for and will love about him,” he said.

“A lot of traits that NBA teams look for and he’s got an awesome opportunity with Phoenix where he’s going to have a pretty good role in that team.”

That dynamism at the defensive end has indeed helped Lewis – the boy who left home for Spain at 15 with his mother’s blessing to chase a basketball dream – carve out a key role as one of the unsung heroes behind South East Melbourne’s remarkable season turnaround.

“As soon as we brought him into the starting line-up, things changed,” assistant coach Adam Gibson said of his young charge, who was promoted after four straight losses to begin the season.

“We’ve had him guard everyone. He’s gone from guarding point guards, to five men, to doesn’t matter who, put him on Parker Jackson-Cartwright, put him on Matt Dellavedova, put him on Trey Kell.

“He gets the toughest defensive challenge and he takes it in his stride.

“A lot of that stuff goes unnoticed because people focus on points and putting the ball in the hoop, but his defensive impact has been massive.”

So massive that some within the Phoenix believe he deserves at least consideration in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion.

Not that he’s thinking about awards – Lewis just hates getting scored on.

The 2024 NBL Next Stars Alex Toohey, Malique Lewis, Rocco Zikarsky, Karim Lopez and Izan Almansa. Picture: Getty Images

“Growing up, I never really played against kids my age, it was always grown men and you’re not going to see the ball. They’re telling you, ‘oh yeah, you just go in there and play defence’,” he said.

“So I guess that always stuck with me and I don’t really like getting scored on.

“Even in practice I’m guarding Derrick (Walton Jr) or (Nathan) Sobey So it’s like, ‘Malique, that’s your assignment, we trust you to go and make his life hard’.

“I get stops, ball pressure, everybody has their way of defending. Most of the time, I’m not finishing the game with two steals or three blocks but the guy that I’m guarding, he’s not scoring 20.

“I take pride in defence so I’m not going to go out there and say, ‘No’. I want to test myself because, if I can’t guard someone here, I can’t guard someone in the NBA.”

It’s that attitude that doesn’t necessarily come into account in the mock drafts that have Lewis projected to go as a second-round pick in 2025.

NBL Next Stars boss Liam Santamaria said feedback from NBA scouts was they loved Lewis’ ability to guard multiple positions at a high level, while it was important to continue to develop his jumpshot to ensure he can be an effective floor spacer at the next level.

There’s a high-character element too – he’s admittedly a bit of a homebody who would rather the beach, the zoo – or playing Call of Duty – than getting caught in the pitfalls of Melbourne’s night-life.

“I like to stay out of harm’s way and I don’t really like to go out all night partying or anything like that,” he said.

Malique Lewis has made a home in South East Melbourne as he chases his NBA dream. Picture: Getty Images

MUM ALWAYS KNEW

Growing up, the choice in Trinidad and Tobago is either football or cricket.

But basketball became the path when Lewis fell in love with the game on the court outside his grandfather’s apartment.

By 14, he stood 193cms – 6’4” in the old scale – all arms and legs. He walked onto the school team and that led to U15 national representation, where Johnathan Weekes, of Caribbean Hoops – a non-profit that helps youngsters in the islands find basketball homes – was alerted to his raw talent.

“His journey is amazing,” Weekes said.

“His high school coach Jeffrey Harris reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, this kid, I think he is special’.

“Being in this business, I’d heard this a lot but (junior national team coach) Mario Davis felt similar and, when I saw him play, I’d never seen a kid move that well – he just needed to be taught how to play.”

A teenage Malique Lewis in 2021 while at Fuenlabrada in Spain.

The best path for Lewis’ development was overseas – something that would require permission from mum Asha.

“Very good soul, The energy was well and she was very calm,” Weekes said of his meeting with Asha.

“She has a lot of faith and she said ‘I knew this day would come. I knew my son was destined for something great – I guess you’re the person to help him’.

“That’s a lot of responsibility.”

Malique said he would always give thanks to Asha for trusting Weekes.

“She couldn’t tell the future, she didn’t know where I was going to end up, how I would take leaving my family to go across the world,” he said.

“She told me ‘if you want to do it, I’m open’ and she wasn’t lying – she’s let me have a full experience.”

TAKING IT IN HIS STRIDE

Lewis landed in Spain in 2019 and “destroyed” his first game with Torrejon Basketball Academy.

“My mouth dropped. I was like ‘wow’,” Weekes recalled.

“He didn’t understand Spanish, he didn’t know the kids he was playing with, he came off the bench, the coaches threw him in and he just destroyed it.

“I didn’t expect that.”

Lewis transitioned to Spanish club Fuenlabrada, beginning with the B team before making the step up to the ACB. He was then the first pick in the 2023 NBA G League draft joining Mexico City. After flirting with the 2024 NBA draft, Lewis decided to refine his game in Australia in the hope of shooting up draft boards.

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing, though. An affinity with then-Phoenix coach Mike Kelly was a big factor in the decision to sign with South East Melbourne.

But an 0-5 start led to the mentor’s departure from the club.

Always smiling through the struggle. Picture: Getty Images

Lewis took it all in his stride – not so, Weekes.

“Shout out to coach Kelly, he was an integral part of us choosing to come here, we did our research on the city and on South East Melbourne and we wanted Malique to be in a place where they take his development seriously,” Weekes said.

“The 0-5 was a shock to me, to be honest.

“I asked him (Lewis) every day, how is he feeling? How is his body feeling, how is his mind feeling. Sometimes he tells me the truth, sometimes he doesn’t. And that’s OK, I know him well enough to understand when to press and when to ease off.

“Through that, I just told him to keep working and try get to the starting five, try to earn more minutes, try to impact defensively.”

Right now, Lewis is dealing with another change of roles, moved to the bench after a recent dip in form.

He’ll navigate that, just as he does everything else – with a smile on his face and a determination to be great.

Originally published as Inside how South East Melbourne Next Star Malique Lewis is proving Josh Giddey’s NBA call on money