College Basketball Recruiting: Blue Bloods Chase Electric Guard Acaden Lewis

When all of the best college basketball programs target a prospect, that’s a solid sign of that player’s quality. That’s the case for 2025 four-star guard Acaden Lewis. He’s narrowed his final four schools to an upper-echelon list of Duke, Kentucky, UConn and North Carolina. There aren’t bad options there, representative of Lewis’s talent level.

Playing for Team Durant on the Nike EYBL circuit this past summer, Lewis averaged 16.6 points, 5.7 assists and 5.2 boards per contest on 51.2% true shooting, per Synergy. He proved himself one of the country’s most dynamic, versatile offensive guards, winning with a creative handle, playmaking flare and versatile on and off-ball shotmaking.

Lewis’s creative playmaking

Lewis’s passing was stellar this season, evidenced by his assist volume and elite 2.9 assist-to-turnover ratio. He made excellent decisions passing the rock from all spots on the floor despite maintaining a high-usage offensive role. That’s a great sign for his future development, as young handlers who make positive decisions often improve on many other facets of their games.

acaden lewis passes the ball with pristine anticipation and timing on and off the ball, can obviously create but he’s a quick off ball decision maker too. fun playmaker pic.twitter.com/vw9qRAE7mT

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) September 17, 2024

On the ball, Lewis operates pick and rolls with the confidence and vision to hit tight pocket pass windows and kick to the perimeter off of his drives. Unlike many young, talented guards, Lewis functions seamlessly without the ball. He’s a snappy ball mover. Lewis finds gaps in the defenses when his teammates tilt defense, accentuating the value of other high-level creators on his team. Whichever school he ends up choosing, he’ll probably play with other great offensive talents. Lewis’s passing talent equips him to do that.

A tight, inventive handle lets Lewis probe around the court and attack the basket. He’s not the strongest or most vertically explosive athlete, posting an average 33.3% rim frequency shooting 52.1% at the hoop. Lewis might struggle to finish at the next levels, though his creativity will help him there. Lewis finishes with both hands, comfortable floating in high-difficulty contested layups contorting his body in midair to score.

acaden lewis's ('25 4*) suddenness makes him so tough to guard, high level burst, handle and touch finishing with both hands form a rare package at this level pic.twitter.com/IbphiEtJib

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) July 28, 2024

He’s comfortable playing within the rhythm of the pick and roll and creating out of structure. Lewis seems to find open teammates consistently yet is wired to create his own shots from anywhere on the floor when the play breaks down. Unlike many young guards, Lewis holds his dribble deep into drive, maintaining his options. Added strength and athleticism ages should help Lewis reach a rock-solid offensive ceiling.

Lewis’s shooting potential

Lewis wasn’t particularly efficient from the three-point line this season, hitting just 31.3% of his triples. However, the underlying indicators paint Lewis as a stronger shooter down the line. His high volume (6.6 attempts per game, 0.45 three-point attempt rate). Lewis shot 83.1% from the line, adding onto his shooting projection.

When Lewis plays with more talented teammates, his three-point efficiency should spike. Lewis shot a heavy diet of difficult off-dribble jumpers this AAU season, struggling mightily on those shots (21.8% on all pull-ups). Lewis shot the lights out on a small sample of catch-and-shoot threes, canning 45.5% of his 44 attempts.

Lewis shares many of the same defensive struggles many young guards do — struggles to navigate stout screens, winning with strength and remaining fully attentive. Lewis averaged over a steal per game this season. Combining quick, accurate hands and active reading in the passing lane helps Lewis win on the defensive end.

Lewis’s long term outlook

Against quicker, stronger players at the college and pro levels, Lewis may struggle to contain on defense. That’s life for the majority of 6’2 guards, especially ones without elite core strength. Off-ball defense matters as much if not more than point-of-attack defense in modern basketball and Lewis should excel there.

Kentucky and UConn are the most exciting offensive fits for Lewis, as Mark Pope and Dan Hurley respectively run two of the most dynamic and diverse offenses in all of college basketball. Hurley especially has a strong track record of squeezing the most out of all of his players. Even without that same level of schematic creativity, Duke and North Carolina are prospect factories with decade-long track records of success.

Acaden Lewis has a critical decision ahead of him with good and better options in his future. With elite on-ball creation talent, playmaking and shooting upside, Lewis has a chance to work himself into draft conversations at some point. Picking the correct one of these elite programs will help him reach that possibly lofty ceiling.