Memphis Roar

Tyler Lewis, a 5’10” 155 lbs point guard from Statesville, NC, is regarded by many as one of the best passing guards in the 2012 class. Although he is only a sophomore in high school at Forsyth Country Day School, Lewis has consistently risen above his competitors by his ability to score at will and inspire everyone around him to improve.

There is much more to Tyler Lewis than what meets the eye.

Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s National Recruiting Director of High School/College Basketball, had this to say during an interview with ESPN affiliate Memphis Roar: “He [Lewis] has an uncanny feel for the game, well beyond his years. He has exceptional peripheral vision, and he delivers the pass on time and on target. He also can score the ball well from the mid-range on the pull-up jump shot; he can knock down open threes. As he gets older, I’d like to see him get stronger and be able to finish at the rim a little bit better, that’s one area he can work on. He handles the ball with such confidence in himself. As he sees the whole floor, he sees the play, before the play, and that’s what makes him so special.”

What Lewis lacks in height, he more than compensates for with his ridiculous basketball IQ. Lewis’ gift lies in seeing plays and passing lanes before they have developed, putting him heads and shoulders above his opponents.

The Young & The Relentless

Neither basketball nor winning are new experiences for Lewis. “He put the ball in my hands at the age of three,” Lewis said, when asked about his father’s role in teaching him the game of basketball.

And it only gets better from there.

Rick Lewis, Tyler’s father, founded the AAU team Carolina Flight in 2002. Tyler Lewis played on the team for more than eight years under the direct coaching of his father. In Carolina Flight’s first season, the team won the state championship and finished ranked fifth in the nation for the 9-under division. Not only did Carolina Flight’s first three years result in three state championships, but they also placed nationally at AAU two of the three years. This winning trend did not diminish as Lewis developed; instead, Carolina Flight has continued to be one of the top AAU teams in the state for the past eight years. They won six out of the last eight state championships and were runner-ups the other two years.

Lewis' Carolina Flight AAU team: 9-under

In most situations, Lewis is easily spotted on the basketball court, due to the height difference between he and his teammates and opponents. Because he has played advanced competition ahead of his years, Lewis is noticeable in more ways than his stature. Lewis puts in hard work day in and day out. “He works his butt off. Sometimes we have to tell him to take a break, and sit down every now and then, because he’s been working so hard, to the point where you’re going to wear yourself out. It’s his determination,” said Coach Craig Dawson, Lewis’ head coach at Forsyth Country Day.

Lewis has heard it all concerning his size as a basketball player. “A lot of people tell me that I’ll never make it because I’m too short and too small. Every day that’s one of my things to go out there and prove them wrong. You’re always going to have the haters out there that are trying to find something wrong and get after you for it.” However you view Lewis’ critics, one thing is certain: they have helped channel Lewis’ determination and hard work, proving to everyone his relentlessness…

It’s All in the Family

Tyler is not the only one in his family with basketball talent. Tyler’s brother Colby is a freshman on the UNC-Charlotte basketball team. Colby, who played varsity basketball last year with Tyler at Forsyth Country Day, racked up over 1,000 points in his high school career. It does not stop with Colby; Tyler’s sister Bridgett also recorded over 1,000 points during her high school career. Tyler recently joined his brother and sister, reaching the 1,000-point mark as only a sophomore in high school.

From left to right: Tyler, Rick, Colby, and Margaret Lewis

In addition to all three Lewis kids playing basketball, Tyler’s father has played an essential role in coaching his son from the sidelines. “He’s every day pushing me to get better and he wants me to get there,” Tyler said. “He’s the one that’s inspired me throughout these years and he’s the one that has helped me get to where I am at today.”

Tyler finds that his brother is equally as important to his development. “My brother, we would always go outside and play one-on-one. He would always be the one pushing me and trying to get me better. He’s a good brother because some big brothers would not care about their younger brother, but he does. He’s always there for me and doesn’t want anything to happen to me. He’s always looking out for me.”

Tyler has something few kids have these days- a family that surrounds him with encouragement and pushes him to be a better player and person. “Everybody is trying to push you to get to the next level. It’s a good thing because everybody is honest and wants you to get there, all the family. My dad, my brother, my mother, and my sister, are like my number one fans. They’re always there for me,” Tyler said.

“It’s sort of a basketball family,” Rick Lewis said.

A League of His Own

Over the past summer, Tyler participated in a handful of AAU events and camps. Lewis’ AAU team participated in the Big Shots Event, the Super Showcase and competed for nationals. Lewis’ squad reached the final four of the Big Shots Event, losing to a Dallas Seawolves team led by highly touted 2010 prospect Perry Jones. At nationals, Lewis and the Carolina Flight came in eighth overall. These accomplishments are staggering, especially considering Lewis played in the 17-under division (two grades up for Lewis).

Carolina Flight, with the help of Lewis, defeated the Florida Rams, who featured 2010 standout Fabrico Melo and 2011 prospect Damien Leonard. The Flight also dismantled a strong Texas Elite team by 24 points. Lewis matched up with Phil Pressey with no problem, dropping 25 points in the game.

“I think he’s a little more athletic than what people give him credit for,” Rick Lewis said. “He’s sneaky quick. If you look at a baseball pitcher, if the guy is throwing 100 mph all the time, sooner or later the hitters are going to catch up to it. The best baseball pitchers know how to change speeds. They can throw 95 mph, but they throw a split-finger and change-up. The thing with Tyler is he knows how to change speeds with the ball. He has a great hesitation move, stutter step, nice crossover.”

Despite constantly besting his opponents, most of who are years older and inches taller, Lewis has aspirations of the next level and proving himself on a bigger stage. Like most high school basketball players, Lewis looks up to several people whom he likes to model his game after. “I think I model my game after Steve Nash, he just sees the floor so good and gets his players involved and I think that’s what I do.” In addition to Nash, Lewis said he also looks up to Chris Paul.

Lewis had the privilege of playing alongside Paul during a recent Pro-Am, and he also participated at Paul’s basketball camp in North Carolina. Lewis was blown away by his experience with Paul, saying, “He’s a great point guard. He’s a winner, and a leader too. He’s always telling you where to go and that’s key for a point guard. And that’s what I’m trying to get better at, talking on the court. Just being around him for three days has taught me a lot. He’s so humble too. He’s not going around saying ‘O, I’m Chris Paul,’ he’s still out there helping everyone. He’s not cocky. If I do a drill wrong, he’s not going to be all up in my face, he pulls me aside and tells me what I can do… He’s a great role model.”

“A Coach’s Dream”

Lewis has had the fortune of having great coaches around him his entire life. Whether it was his father, his former high school coach Rusty LaRue, or his current high school coach Craig Dawson, Lewis has learned from some of the best.

Rusty LaRue, who coached Forsyth Country Day’s varsity team last year, is a former Wake Forest University standout and was member of the 1998 Chicago Bulls championship team. When LaRue took a position as an assistant coach for Wake Forest earlier this year, Craig Dawson took over at Forsyth Country Day.

Dawson, also a former Wake Forest standout, holds the record for the most three point field goals in an ACC game at eleven (tied with Georgia Tech’s Dennis Scott). This season is Dawson’s first coaching Lewis, but it was not the first time that Dawson had seen Lewis play. “I actually coached the JV team at our school (Forsyth Country Day), the boys team, and he was a little seventh grader on the Statesville Christian team. I remember seeing him for the first time, and it was the very first game we had of that season and we ended up winning by 25 or so, but he had 35 points as a 7th grader! I ended up breaking my clipboard in the second quarter because everyone on my team thought I was joking when I told them that he was the best one out there! And he had 21 at half time, so I kind of lit into them about that. So I tease him about that all the time.”

Dawson said that it has been a blast coaching Lewis so far.

“It’s kind of interesting, having known him for the last four year, this is the first time that I was able to get a chance to coach him. I know a lot of people look at him and don’t expect him to do some of the things that he is able to do, but I think a lot of that comes from him working hard and not really giving into the perception that because of his size and his build that he can’t contribute or play this game. One thing that I’ve really seen him get better at from last year to this year is communication on the court. Not a lot of people know that he is pretty much a quiet guy, but we’re harping on him and telling him that for him to be able to lead a major college program, he’s going to have to be more vocal and more assertive, as a leader, even though he’s a sophomore. He’s really taken a grasp of that. He gets better and better over day. You definitely don’t expect it to happen overnight, but he’s definitely improved in that area each and every day. He’s been fantastic so far this year. He’s averaging over 28 points a game and 7 ½ assists. I think more importantly is the quality of shots he’s taking. He’s shooting 67% from the field and 47% from 3pt range, so you can’t really argue with that.”

Paul Biancardi says Lewis is “a coach’s dream.” “He is a true point guard, and he knows his role is to push the ball and advance it quickly in a fast break with a dribble or with the pass. He throws a beautiful throw-ahead pass to anyone who is willing to run the lane. He runs the show like a coach wants it and he creates scoring opportunities for other people, and when they become open he delivers it on time and on target,” Biancardi added.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Although Lewis can light it up from the floor, becoming a defender’s nightmare, Lewis possesses an even better passing game and basketball IQ. “A lot of people look at his scoring but I think that’s what kind of sets him apart as a point guard, is his ability to make people look good,” Coach Dawson said. “And I always tell him that he might play with people that my not be on his level athletically or even basketball wise, but its up to him as a point guard to make other people believe that they’re better than what they really are. And he’s really taken a hold of that. A couple of games ago he had 15 assists and I had no clue until afterwards. It was just the flow of the game and it wasn’t anything he was trying to do, he was just playing the game.”

Making others around him better is what Lewis is all about. Lewis does not press the issue, nor does he take it upon himself to score all the time; instead, he tries to make himself and everyone around him better than their opponents. “Basketball’s a team game, so one player is not going to beat you. If the point guard scores thirty and the big man only scores six, that means the big guy isn’t going to hustle for you down the stretch, because he hasn’t gotten the ball,” Lewis said.

Lewis’ view on passing is a rarity in high school basketball. “He’s a pass first, create for others first, but at the same time he has the aggressive nature of knowing when he needs to score for his team, which is a very rare ability at a young age… If you’ve ever played with Tyler Lewis, you want to play with him again. And if you’ve never played with Tyler Lewis, you want to play with him. And that’s the kind of teammate he is,” said Biancardi.

“People like playing with him because he passes the ball. Although he’s been scoring a lot lately, he can score, but if you run the floor, he’ll get the pass to them, and that’s what people like about him,” Rick Lewis added.

When asked if Lewis preferred making a game winning shot or assist, Lewis said it honestly did not matter. “Even if you don’t get the credit for hitting the shot, you played a big, important role in getting that shot. That’s something I enjoy doing. I like passing the ball.”

Coach Dawson enjoys watching Lewis’ unselfish play, and so do Lewis’ teammates. “The guys on the team love playing with him because they know that he makes them that much better,” Coach Dawson said. And that’s what makes Lewis so unique- he makes the point guard position the most unselfish spot on the court.

The Best is Yet to Come

Despite the achievements and high praises, Lewis still hears his fair share of skepticism when it comes to his future in college and possibly beyond. “As of right now I just have to stay humble and stay on the path,” Lewis said about his opposition.

Lewis had three offers before entering his first freshman class in high school. Auburn, UNC-Charlotte, and Virginia Tech were the first to make offers to Lewis, but there is no doubt there are many more to come. Lewis says that schools are not really on his mind right now. “I’ll probably make my decision at the end of my eleventh grade year. But I don’t want to make it too early and then be like all these players decommitting,” Lewis said.

With plenty of time left in his high school career, and numerous schools competing for Lewis’ commitment, everyone around him is confident Lewis will be a high-impact player in the collegiate ranks.

“For me, I think there’s no question that he’s a high-major division one player. You look at some of these other players on some teams, they have 5’8” guards and the guys may have the quickness and the strength, but nowadays playing in the ACC, SEC, Pac-10 and some of those conferences, you need more basketball IQ than anything. I think for him, there isn’t anyone out there with better basketball IQ than he has. He works his butt off, sometimes we have to tell him to take a break, and sit down every now and then, because he’s been working so hard, to the point where your going to wear yourself out. It’s his determination… He definitely has the ability to play high major division one basketball,” Coach Dawson said.

Paul Biancardi sees a bright future in Lewis as well. “He’s such a student of the game, as well as having good ball skills, so that makes him a very highly recruited young man. He’s a young man of great work ethic and great character… ” said Biancardi.

With the consistent development and hard work put in by Lewis, there is no doubt that the best of Tyler Lewis is yet to come.


Click Here for Additional Q & A with Tyler Lewis

Click Here for Additional Q & A with Paul Biancardi and Coach Dawson

Click Here for Memphis Roar’s Youtube Video of Tyler Lewis

Click Here for Additional Video of Tyler Lewis