A Scout's Take: Ride the Wave with Acaden Lewis
The water is a little rocky to open the season, but don't be afraid to ride the Acaden Lewis wave.
Over the past few years, Acaden Lewis has been one of the highest risers in the 2025 high school class and a top player in the DMV. His national ascent began after a buzzworthy performance at the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp. The talented lefty cemented himself as a top player in the country during his final grassroots campaign while starring with national powerhouses Team Durant (Maryland, EYBL) and Sidwell Friends (DC) (alumni include Josh Hart and Saddiq Bey).
According to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI), Lewis finished as the 33rd-ranked player in the 2025 class. After committing to Kentucky, he reopened his recruitment and became the Villanova class headliner upon committing to play under Kevin Willard, who initially recruited Lewis while at Maryland.
Lewis’s Villanova tenure began with two standout exhibition games against Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the University of Virginia (UVA), during which he led the team in scoring and assists. Unfortunately, his official collegiate debut was underwhelming and came on a massive stage against BYU and A.J. Dybantsa, a first-overall-pick-caliber talent. In 22 minutes (mainly in the first half), Lewis finished with a line of five points, two rebounds, and three assists (one TO).
His performance has caused a bit of an early panic amongst fans and evaluators, but I’m not in that camp. Just like any freshman prospect and any wave, there are going to be troughs (low point of a wave) and crests (high point of a wave). Amidst it all, there were still encouraging flashes and reminders of his dynamic, free-flowing game that should bode well for his collegiate success and NBA stock.
Dynamic Scoring Arsenal
Against BYU, we didn’t see the aggressive Acaden Lewis that many of us are accustomed to seeing on the grassroots level and during exhibition play. Lewis scored five points on just six total field goal attempts (1-of-6 FGA, 1-of-4 3PA, 2-of-4 FTA), alongside a pull-up three airball as the shot clock expired and an ugly miss off the side of the backboard on another pull-up three.
His only basket came with 22 seconds left in the first half. In the exhibition matchups against VCU and UVA, Lewis took 12 shots (15 points) and 15 shots (16 points), respectively.
BYU didn’t appear to do anything special to take Lewis out of the game. However, their explosive, chiseled, undersized big man, Keba Keita, certainly deserves some credit for his rim protection/deterrence (highlighted by a monstrous swat into the stands on Chris Jeffrey) and ability to play up to the level on screens. Lewis’s lack of attempts and aggression, or more simply his approach, felt more like someone who was understandably still figuring out how to balance scoring and facilitating on the collegiate level as Villanova’s most naturally gifted scorer and playmaker while on a massive opening night stage.
Lewis is known for his herky-jerky style, crafty ball-screen operation, and live-dribble scoring. He gave a taste of it on a pick-and-roll possession that saw him shake Dybantsa with a quick left-to-right crossover into a rim attack that drew a shooting foul on the help defender. Not only is Dybantsa a top talent in the class, but he’s also equipped with the tools to become an elite NBA defender.
Lewis leverages his tricky handle, change of pace, and fantastic footwork to both create space for pull-ups and generate paint touches. At 6’2” and 180 pounds, he’s a below-the-rim finisher who relies upon a tremendous blend of touch, craft, ambidexterity, and ability to find finishing angles. There will be some wild attempts against size and athleticism, like the attempt below against Dybantsa, which looks like it slipped out of his hands. Those will no doubt need to be cleaned up.
Earlier in the game, Lewis attempted a beautiful goofy-footed, off-hand scoop finish on Dybantsa that missed in-and-out. I’m expecting those to fall more times than not.
Lewis is incredibly skilled at and around the rim. There aren’t many guards in the draft class, if any, that are better than Lewis at off-hand finishing. He makes it look innate, and it’s clear a ton of work is going into it. I caught a glimpse of that work during his warm-up routine before the UVA exhibition.
Lewis’s lone make against BYU was an effortlessly drilled catch-and-shoot three from NBA range. If he can prove to be a reliable off-ball shooting threat, it will add to his value as a lead guard who can thrive both on and off the ball.
Playing alongside a physical driver like Tyler Perkins and the shooting gravity of Bryce Lindsay should allow Lewis to showcase and develop his off-ball skill set. He’s historically been a streaky shooter and more of a shotmaker than a pure sniper. However, I’m trusting Lewis’s shotmaking versatility, mechanics, touch, and confidence.
Playmaking Prowess and Upside
Including the two exhibitions, the freshman playmaker has led Villanova in assists in each game (three vs. VCU, five vs. UVA, and three vs. BYU). This is a trend to expect all season, given his scoring gravity, vision, and processing.
The first possession in the BYU game illustrated some of Lewis’s playmaking toolkit and battle with the “home run play” at times. After drawing two defenders, he fired a look-away live dribble shovel pass to the roll man that was off the mark and had a bit too much heat on it. He’ll need to continue working on making the routine play and be fine with hitting singles when the situation calls for it; both should be easy adjustments as the season progresses.
On a grab-and-go later in the game, he danced off a drag screen to draw the attention of all five BYU players before finding Brennan alone at the rim for an easy finish. My favorite possession saw him read the strong side tag man (Robert Wright), then appropriately find Hodge for an open catch-and-shoot-three.
Lewis is more than capable of making advanced pick-and-roll reads, manipulating defenders, delivering jaw-dropping dimes with both hands, and fitting passes through tight windows with some audacious attempts. He’s an electric live dribble playmaker that should have the opportunity to finish amongst the top assist leaders in the Big East.
What About the Defense?
For an offensively tilted player like Lewis, on the defensive end, it’s important to take advantage of the physical tools that he’s equipped with and play with energy to at least develop into a neutral NBA defender. He isn’t blessed with explosive athleticism or elite quickness, but does have what appears to be a plus wingspan, a maturing frame, quick hands, and anticipation skills to work with. Keep an eye out for Lewis’s progression as a defensive playmaker for Villanova.
Closing Thoughts
The free-flowing Lewis hit an immediate trough on the national stage, but plenty of crests are ahead as he navigates being a primary scorer and playmaker on the collegiate level. The foundation of his draft profile is something to believe in: a crafty lead guard with shotmaking versatility, live dribble creation, feel, and playmaking ability. There will be ups and downs, growing pains, and learning lessons for Lewis throughout the season. Hold steady and ride the Acaden Lewis wave; you don’t want to miss out on the potential Big East Freshman of the Year and draft riser.
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