Next Star takes step towards NBA goal

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

South East Melbourne wing has his eyes set on the 2025 NBA Draft.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has announced that NBL Next Star Malique Lewis has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft.

The forward from Trinidad & Tobago, a key piece for the Phoenix in their awesome second part of the NBL25 season, has contributed with 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds for Josh King’s side. His defensive impact was nothing short of spectacular, earning him Defensive Player of the Year consideration.

He grew up in Trinidad & Tobago where football was the main sport, but turned his hand at basketball as a teenager and it has been a rapid rise for him ever since. He was still only 16 when he ventured to Spain and spent two seasons playing high level basketball with Fuenlabrada where he went up from 2.3 minutes in three appearances of 2021/22 to 19 matches in 2022/23 for almost 18 minutes and 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Then he played in the G League 2023/24 season with Mexico City Capitanes, where he played in 50 matches and played over 25 minutes for 8.3 points and 5.8 rebounds.

Nine Next Stars have been drafted directly from the NBL to the NBA - LaMelo Ball (pick 3, 2020), RJ Hampton (pick 24, 2020), Josh Giddey (pick 6, 2021), Ousmane Dieng (pick 11, 2022), Rayan Rupert (pick 43, 2023), Alex Sarr (pick 2, 2024), AJ Johnson (pick 23, 2024), Bobi Klintman (pick 37, 2024) and Ariel Hukporti (pick 58, 2024). Impressively, the program has produced six first round picks across the past five NBA Drafts.