NBL Next Star Malique Lewis on the Phoenix’s Playoff Run and his plans for the NBA draft

Rising star Malique Lewis joins the podcast to discuss his incredible journey from Trinidad & Tobago to professional basketball.

At just 16, Lewis left home for Spain, where he developed his game with Fuenlabrada, before making the leap to the G League with Mexico City Capitanes. Now, as a Next Star with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, he’s one step closer to his NBA dream.

Lewis opens up about the challenges of leaving his family behind, why he chose the NBL over the G League and Europe, and what he’s learned from playing in different basketball systems worldwide. He also shares his thoughts on NBA draft projections, the misconceptions around his game and what to expect in the NBL playoffs.

Topics include:

• His journey from Trinidad to the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne (2:00)
• His thoughts on the NBL's Next Star Program (4:00)
• Acclimatising to Australian life and its various deadly animals (8:00)
• Adjusting to different coaching styles under Mike Kelly, Sam Mackinnon & Josh King (10:00)
• Being scrutinized by NBA draft scouting reports—what’s fair and what’s not (12:00)
• Thoughts on the Phoenix need to do and what he needs to add for the team to win an NBL championship (16:00)
• How he spends his time off the court (20:00)
• How he views his performance this season (23:00)
• Being away from his family and the takeaways from living in Australia (25:30)

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Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring:

• Australian Basketball Legends: Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}