Leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft, there was a lot of speculation on what the Los Angeles Lakers would do with their No. 17 and No. 47 picks. There was various reports anticipating that the Lakers would trade down or out of the draft, which made sense given the win-now nature of the organization.
However, on the morning of the draft, the Lakers traded with the Indiana Pacers and actually moved up seven spots in the second round to No. 40. That move made it seem that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and the scouting department had eyes on one guy, which would ultimately be forward Maxwell Lewis out of Pepperdine.
Getting drafted is a moment that a player, his family and loved ones will never forget. That was the case for Lewis’ father Robert, who grew up a Laker fan. Robert recently shared his emotions of seeing his son getting drafted by his favorite team, via Dan Woike of the L.A. Times:
“I’m blown away,” he told The Times. “Still in shock. Because all during the process of him getting drafted and the processes of him trying out for the teams, I never once said, ‘I hope he goes to the Lakers.’ I would’ve been asking too much. C’mon, Rob. Just get him drafted. And when they said Lakers, man, I was like numb.
“It’s … it’s … it’s crazy. Hard to believe.”
It must still feel surreal for the Lewis family to see Maxwell on the professional stage wearing purple and gold. Lewis finished his first taste of NBA action at the Las Vegas Summer League, showcasing his potential for the future.
Knowing how much work his son has put in, Robert expressed joy just to see Maxwell get drafted, let alone to the Lakers:
“I was just so proud and happy for Max. He put in so much work for so many years, so much time. … I wasn’t happy for me. It’s not about me. It’s him and I wanted to see him fulfill his dream,” Robert said, his eyes filling with tears. “This is too big. That’s why I never asked for the Lakers. I just wanted him to get drafted.”
The Lakers have had an impressive track record with their drafting and it seems like Lewis will have a chance to be added to that. Being a 6’7″ forward that has length and ability to shoot 3-pointers is a skill set that is in high demand right now. With Summer League finished, Lewis will now shift to training camp and preseason to continue his growth and development.
Lakers close out Las Vegas Summer League with win over Clippers
While Lewis struggled in the Summer League finale, the Lakers were able to gut out a win against the Los Angeles Clippers. Guard D’Moi Hodge chipped in 23 points with seven 3-pointers while guard LJ Figueroa also had 23 points and forward Cole Swider amassed 21 points with five triples.
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