South East Melbourne Phoenix rising star Malique Lewis reveals plan for NBA dream

Could rising star Malique Lewis follow Taran Armstrong to the NBA? The rookie forward reveals how his NBL debut season has prepped him for the big league, if he’d return to Melbourne and more.

Six months ago, Malique Lewis was flying well under the radar.

Now he’s one of the most exciting young talents in the NBL and could follow Cairns Taipans star Taran Armstrong to the NBA.

The Trinidad-born South East Melbourne star has lapped up the opportunity to play an increased role in the Phoenix’s rise from the ashes with an 0-5 start to the season to the semi-finals.

In just his first season in Australia, Lewis, 20, has attracted the attention of NBA Aussie Josh Giddey and former NBL MVP and commentator Derek Rucker.

Both have enforced the idea that it’s time for scouts in the big league to take notice.

South East Melbourne Phoenix player Malique Lewis has taken the NBL by storm this season. Picture: Mark Stewart

As experts tout him as a second-round NBA draft pick, the NBL Next Star said having this season under his belt had opened his eyes to what he needed to do to achieve his goal.

“It’s always good to have people acknowledging what you do on the court,” Lewis said.

“But they (scouts) are not just going to take their word for it, I need to go out there, be consistent and do what everyone knows I can do, then it’ll pay off.

“After everything is said and done here, I’ll go back to the States and start working again.

“This time (heading to the US) it’ll be different because now I know what to expect and what I have to do.

“It won’t necessarily be easier but I’ll be more aggressive for what I want.”

Reflecting on his first elite level campaign, the developing forward said riding the highs and lows taught him how to overcome challenges as an elite athlete.

“I didn’t have the best pre-season,” Lewis said. “My first game when we played Brisbane it was amazing and then it was just like, eh.”

But in a short few months, Lewis was holding down some of the league’s best, including the Adelaide 36ers’ Montrezl Harrell in the Phoenix’s sudden-death play-in.

“If you asked me what was my best NBL moment? It was that,” Lewis said. “It was crazy.”

Lewis says he’s taken much needed learnings from his season in Melbourne. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Not bad for a kid who didn’t even want to play the sport when he was growing up in the Caribbean.

Football was the dream and Cristiano Ronaldo the hero.

“Basketball was not my first option,’’ Lewis said.

“My cousin and I would say ‘I can’t see myself playing basketball’, so it’s kind of surprising.

“I grew up running and playing football. I played cricket in the streets but never played seriously and I didn’t start playing basketball until I was 11 or 12.

“So to be here now after not wanting to play when I was younger ... I thought I would play football but life changes.”

It wasn’t until Lewis moved in with his grandparents as an early teen that he took to the game he now loves.

Street ball roped him in and became part of his everyday routine.

“I had to go live with my grandparents,’’ he said. “There was a court right outside and they (kids) played there every day.

Malique Lewis hasn’t ruled out a return to the Phoenix. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“So I started playing, then I played for my school and from there on it was just basketball.”

A move to Spain followed, then the NBA G-League, during which he caught the eye of the NBL Next Stars. That led him to Melbourne.

Lewis had a choice between the Phoenix and the Cairns Taipans, and he thought “Phoenix was the better fit”.

In hindsight, he wouldn’t have it any other way as South East Melbourne looks to its third finals series as a franchise.

Contracted for another season with the Phoenix, Lewis is leaving his future in the “hands of god” but hasn’t ruled out a return to Melbourne’s South East.

“You never know, if things don’t work out I’ll most likely be back here,” the fan favourite said.

“I don’t want to say I hope not, I do want to go to the NBA.”

The Phoenix’s best-of-three semi-final series against the Illawarra Hawks begins on Friday night.