Freddie Lewis
Encyclopedia
Frederick L. Lewis is a retired American
basketball
player. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) and now defunct American Basketball Association
(ABA) from 1966 to 1977.
Lewis was a fundamentally sound 6'0" (1.83 m) guard who could pass, shoot, and defend equally well. He attended McKeesport Area High School
(in Pennsylvania
) and Arizona State University
before being drafted by the NBA's Cincinnati Royals
in 1966. After one season of limited playing time with the Royals, he moved to the rival ABA, spending the next seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers
.
Though players like Roger Brown and Mel Daniels
received more attention from Indiana fans, Lewis was a solid contributor on three Pacers teams that won the ABA Championship (in 1970, 1972, and 1973). He also represented the Pacers in three All-Star
games (1968, 1970, and 1972). After the Pacers lost to the Utah Stars
in the 1974 finals, however, the Pacers traded Lewis, along with Brown and Daniels, to the Memphis Sounds
. Daniels, the Sounds' starting center
, then injured his back after slipping in his bathtub, and Lewis was traded to the Spirits of St. Louis
in exchange for replacement center Tom Owens
.
Lewis averaged a career high 22.6 points per game with the Spirits in 1974–1975, was named MVP of the 1975 ABA All-Star Game
, and led the young team into the playoffs. However, Lewis suffered an ankle injury, and the Spirits bowed out to the Kentucky Colonels
, the eventual champions. After one more year with the Spirits, Lewis returned to the Pacers (who by this point had joined the NBA), and he retired in 1977 with 12,033 combined NBA/ABA career points.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) and now defunct American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
(ABA) from 1966 to 1977.
Lewis was a fundamentally sound 6'0" (1.83 m) guard who could pass, shoot, and defend equally well. He attended McKeesport Area High School
McKeesport Area High School
McKeesport Area High School is a public high school located in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in the United States.The school, which is located at 1960 Eden Park Boulevard, serves students from Dravosburg, McKeesport, South Versailles, Versailles, and White Oak....
(in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) and Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
before being drafted by the NBA's Cincinnati Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in 1966. After one season of limited playing time with the Royals, he moved to the rival ABA, spending the next seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
Though players like Roger Brown and Mel Daniels
Mel Daniels
Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
received more attention from Indiana fans, Lewis was a solid contributor on three Pacers teams that won the ABA Championship (in 1970, 1972, and 1973). He also represented the Pacers in three All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
games (1968, 1970, and 1972). After the Pacers lost to the Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
in the 1974 finals, however, the Pacers traded Lewis, along with Brown and Daniels, to the Memphis Sounds
Memphis Sounds
Memphis Sounds was the final name of a franchise in the American Basketball Association. The team had begun as the New Orleans Buccaneers, and after three seasons in New Orleans, Louisiana moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where it had occasionally played some home games in the past to reasonable crowds...
. Daniels, the Sounds' starting center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, then injured his back after slipping in his bathtub, and Lewis was traded to the Spirits of St. Louis
Spirits of St. Louis
The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...
in exchange for replacement center Tom Owens
Tom Owens
Thomas William Owens is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'10" center from the University of South Carolina, Owens played five seasons in the American Basketball Association and seven seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Carolina Cougars, Memphis...
.
Lewis averaged a career high 22.6 points per game with the Spirits in 1974–1975, was named MVP of the 1975 ABA All-Star Game
1975 ABA All-Star Game
GAME 8: at HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas, January 28, 1975MVP: Freddie Lewis, Spirits of St. LouisCoaches:* East: Kevin Loughery, New York Nets* West: Larry Brown, Denver Nuggets-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods:...
, and led the young team into the playoffs. However, Lewis suffered an ankle injury, and the Spirits bowed out to the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
, the eventual champions. After one more year with the Spirits, Lewis returned to the Pacers (who by this point had joined the NBA), and he retired in 1977 with 12,033 combined NBA/ABA career points.
External links
- Career stats at basketball-reference.com
- Freddie Lewis at Remember the ABA