Derrick Lewis (basketball) facts for kids

Derrick Raymond Lewis (born August 1, 1966) is a former professional basketball player from the United States and France. He played as a power forward and center. Derrick was a top player in high school and college before having a long and successful career in France. He is known for his amazing shot-blocking skills.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Derrick Lewis was born in Tarboro, North Carolina. He went to Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C.. He was a starter on the varsity team from his second year.

High School Achievements

As a junior, Derrick averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 blocks per game. The Washington Post newspaper chose him for their All-Metro First Team. In his senior year (1984), he was one of the best players in the country. He averaged 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 blocks per game. He was named the All-Metro MVP and was chosen as the Metro area Mr. Basketball. Derrick was also picked to play in two special high school all-star games: the Capital Classic and the McDonald's All-American Game.

College Basketball Career

Derrick Lewis played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins for four years (1984–1988). He wore jersey number 33. His coach, Lefty Driesell, made him a starter from his first year.

Freshman Year (1984–1985)

Derrick was known as one of the best defensive first-year players in the country. He was great at blocking shots and dunking. He set a new record for Maryland with 10 blocks in a game twice! He also had a career-high 14 rebounds in another game. In his first season, he started 34 out of 37 games. He averaged 6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. His 99 blocks that season were a new record for Maryland.

Sophomore Year (1985–1986)

Derrick continued to be a starter, playing in all 33 games. He scored double figures (10 or more points) in 13 games. He also had 7 blocks in a game against North Carolina.

Junior Year (1986–1987)

This was a huge year for Derrick. He became a team captain and the main center. On January 28, 1987, he had an amazing game against James Madison. He scored 29 points, grabbed 23 rebounds, and blocked 12 shots! This was a new career high for him in all three categories and the most blocks ever in a single game for Maryland. He later had another incredible game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks. He is the only player in Maryland history to have two "triple-doubles" (scoring double digits in three different stats).

Derrick was the second-best scorer in his conference (the ACC) with 19.6 points per game. He also led the ACC in blocks with 4.4 per game, which was second-best in all of NCAA Division I basketball. He was named to the All-ACC First Team and was an Honorable Mention All-American.

Senior Year (1987–1988)

Derrick was considered one of the top defensive players in college basketball. He played mostly as a power forward this season. He continued to lead his team in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks. He finished his college career with 1,458 points, 948 rebounds, and 339 blocks. As of 2020, he is still Maryland's all-time leader in blocks and ranks third in rebounds.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting in the USA (CBA)

After college, Derrick was picked by the Chicago Bulls in the 1988 NBA draft. He trained with the Bulls but did not play in the NBA. Instead, he joined the Rockford Lightning in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), which was a major minor league in the U.S. In his first professional season, he averaged 8.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. He was named to the CBA All-Defensive First Team.

Moving to France

In 1989, Derrick moved to France and began playing for Reims Champagne Basket in the top French league, Nationale A1 (now called LNB Pro A). In his first season in France, he led the league in blocks with 3.1 per game.

A Rare Quadruple-Double

On February 24, 1990, Derrick Lewis made history by recording the only "quadruple-double" in French league history! He had 20 points, 11 rebounds, 12 steals, and 10 blocks in one game. He also set records for the most blocks (10) and steals (12) in a single game. He led the league in blocks again the next season.

Playing for Different Teams

After his first time with Reims, Derrick played briefly in the U.S. with the New Haven Skyhawks. Then he returned to France. He played for Saint-Brieuc and Mulhouse in the second French league (Nationale A2, later Pro B). He had career highs in points (19.7) and rebounds (10.6) with Saint-Brieuc. With Mulhouse, he led the Pro B league in blocks.

Seven Years with Nancy

In 1994, Derrick joined Nancy in the Pro A league. He played there for seven seasons, from 1994 to 2001. During this time, he led the French league in blocks three more times (1996, 1997, 1998). This means he led the league in blocks a total of five times in his career! He was also chosen as an LNB Pro A All-Star twice (1996, 1998).

Winning the French Cup and Euroleague

In 2001, Derrick signed with Pau-Orthez, a team that had won the league title. With Pau-Orthez, he won the French Basketball Cup in 2002. He also got to play in the 2001–02 Euroleague, which is a major basketball competition for top teams across Europe.

Final Seasons

Derrick finished his professional career playing two seasons with Le Havre from 2002 to 2004. He retired in 2004 after a long and successful career in France. He scored a total of 3,773 points, grabbed 2,443 rebounds, and made 533 blocks in the Pro A league.

College Statistics

Derrick Lewis had an impressive college career at Maryland.

• Total Games Played: 127
• Total Points: 1,458
• Total Rebounds: 948
• Total Blocks: 339 (Maryland's all-time leader)
• Career Blocks Per Game: 2.7
• Double-Doubles: 23 (games with double digits in two stats)
• Triple-Doubles: 2 (the only Maryland player with more than one)