📝 Hazel Green's Top-30 guard Kira Lewis commits to BAMA Basketball

[TerryP]

In case you've missed it, the early signing period for Division I Basketball runs November 14th through November 21st. Students are not back for the fall semester so Kira could technically reclassify, join the team, and be ready for competition this fall. Word has it he's completed the necessary course work.

 

[TerryP]

 

[TerryP]

Lewis made the announcement on Friday afternoon via his Twitter account he also announced that he would classify for entry in the class of 2018.​

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Lewis is Alabama’s third commitment of the summer, although his impact on recruiting rankings may depend on his decision regarding reclassification. The Crimson Tide has commitments for its 2019-20 class from Columbia, S.C., guard Juwan Gary and Florence, Miss., shooting guard Jaylen Forbes. The Crimson Tide staff would reportedly like to add at least two more players, and possibly three, to the 2019-2020 class.​

Lewis and Mack are great additions to this winters team.

On a side note, it looks like we can expect something to happen with Jared Butler. Some are indicating he's headed for a medical.

 

[TerryP]

 

[EasyTider]

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Compared to last summer, this was a quiet time for Alabama's basketball program.

The hyper focus that came with Collin Sexton's gravitational pull had people talking about Crimson Tide in top-25 circles for the first time in a while. Things were considerably more hushed this go-round until Kira Lewis said he was committingFriday afternoon.

And when he picked Alabama while reclassifying to the 2018 class, some of that buzz returned. The point guard from Hazel Green is the No. 39 player in the country -- not quite the No. 5 prospect Sexton was, but it has Alabama back in that conversation again. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweeted Friday that the "sleeper team in the SEC resides in Tuscaloosa."

The Lewis commitment pushed Alabama to No. 24 in the 247Sports composite team rankings. Combine that with all but Sexton returning from the No. 8 class signed last year and there's considerable talent on this Alabama roster.

Of the 13 players on scholarship, six were top-100 players coming out of high school. That doesn't include Herb Jones, considered a potential 2019 draft pick who was the No. 148 player in last year's class. Braxton Key would have been the seventh but he transferred to Virginia after his second season at Alabama.

Transfers Daniel Giddens and Tevin Mack were top-60 players before originally choosing Ohio State and Texas, respectively.

Perhaps lost in Friday's news is Jared Butler. The No. 97 player in this incoming signing class is also a point guard. In today's game, you can't have too many guards on the floor and traditional positional roles can be blurred.

There's also a sense of mystery added to this team. Mack is also an experienced scorer who will be new to the SEC circuit. John Petty, the No. 33 player in the 2017, also figures to be a little more consistent shooting the ball in his second Alabama season.

And with Hall back for a final year in the middle. Riley Norris, the lone remaining Anthony Grant-era player, adds intangibles that might have been missing last season. He too was almost a top-100 player as he checked in at No. 108 way back in 2014.

All told, this wasn't supposed to be a major step back season after Sexton moved on to the NBA. The Lewis commit just added some more punch to the argument Alabama could sustain the run that began last season in Avery Johnson's third season.

Alabama player rankings as recruits
-- John Petty: No. 33 in 2017
-- Kira Lewis: No. 39 in 2018
-- Daniel Giddens: No. 51 in 2015
-- Tevin Mack: No. 57 in 2015
-- Alex Reese: No. 96 in 2017
-- Jared Butler: No. 97 in 2018
-- Riley Norris: No. 108 in 2014
-- Herb Jones: No. 148 in 2017
-- Donta Hall: No. 151 in 2015
-- Dazon Ingram: No. 198 in 2015
-- Galin Smith: No. 274 in 2017
-- Diante Wood: No. 221 in 2018
-- Javian Fleming: No. 288 in 2018
-- Avery Johnson Jr.: No. 414 in 2014 (would presumably be a walk-on as a senior with Walker getting the final scholarship)

What Kira Lewis commitment means to Alabama basketball

 

[Justneedme81]

So this was a blessing for Bama.

 

[BamaFan334]

Roll Tide.

 

[Alabama17Tide]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Months after losing Collin Sexton to the NBA Draft, Alabama basketball is set to add another can’t-miss prospect to the fold as four-star shooting guard Kira Lewis committed to the Crimson Tide on Friday.

Previously a member of the 2019 class, Lewis told Rivals.com he has decided to reclassify a year up and will begin classes at Alabama on Aug. 17. Lewis was rated as the No. 29 player overall in the 2019 class. He will now become the prize of Alabama’s 2018 class which also includes four-star guard Jared Butler, three-star guard Diante Wood and three-star center Javian Flemming. Alabama will also see the addition of junior guard Tevin Mack, who sat out last season due after transferring from Texas.

“Lewis is a combo guard whose biggest assets are his speed and quickness," said Rivals national basketball analyst Eric Bossi. "He loves to get to the basket, and he’s a streaky shooter who mixes in just enough jumpers to keep defenders honest. His biggest weakness is a lack of strength, so I’m interested to see how that impacts him arriving on campus a year early.”

Lewis was named Alabama’s Class 6A Player of the Year last season and finished third in Mr. Basketball voting. He averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.9 steals while leading Hazel Green High school to the state semifinals.

Despite losing its leading scorer in Sexton as well as starting forward Braxton Key, Alabama returns the majority of the roster that earned its first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2012. Lewis will be one of several high-scoring options on the Crimson Tide’s roster, joining five-star sophomore John Petty (10.2 ppg.), redshirt Dazon Ingram (9.7 ppg.) and Mack, who led Texas with 14.8 points per game and a 39.1 percentage from 3 during the 2016-17 season before being suspended indefinitely after 15 games.

Kira Lewis commits to Alabama | BamaInsider.com