Freddie Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Freddie Lewis

Personal information
Born	(1943-07-01) July 1, 1943 (age 82) Huntington, West Virginia, U.S.
High school	McKeesport (McKeesport, Pennsylvania)
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
College	Eastern Arizona (1962–1964) Arizona State (1964–1966)
NBA Draft	1966 / Round: 10 / Pick: 88th overall
Selected by the Cincinnati Royals
Pro career	1966–1977
Career history
1966–1967	Cincinnati Royals
1967–1974	Indiana Pacers
1974	Memphis Sounds
1974–1976	Spirits of St. Louis
1976–1977	Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
3× ABA champion (1970, 1972, 1973) ABA Playoffs MVP (1972) 3× ABA All-Star (1968, 1972, 1975) ABA All-Star Game MVP (1975) ABA All-Time Team First-team All-WAC (1966)
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points	12,033 (16.0 ppg)
Rebounds	2,752 (3.7 rpg)
Assists	2,979 (4.0 apg)

Frederick L. Lewis (born July 1, 1943) is a former American basketball player. He played in two major leagues: the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the American Basketball Association (ABA). He is special because he started in the NBA, played all 9 years of the ABA, and then returned to the NBA.

Freddie Lewis was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He was a skilled guard who was 6 feet tall. He was good at passing, shooting, and playing defense. He went to McKeesport Area High School in Pennsylvania and then Arizona State University. After college, the NBA's Cincinnati Royals chose him in the draft.

Lewis was a very important player for the Indiana Pacers. He helped them win three championships in the American Basketball Association. He scored about 16.6 points, made 4.1 assists, and grabbed 4.0 rebounds per game over seven seasons. His 11,660 points are the sixth most in ABA history. His 2,883 assists are the fourth most.

Basketball Career Highlights

Early Years in Professional Basketball

Freddie Lewis was picked by the Cincinnati Royals in the 10th round of the 1966 NBA draft. He became a backup player for the famous Oscar Robertson. Lewis learned a lot from Robertson, including how to stay calm during games. He averaged 4.7 points and 1.3 assists per game in his first year.

In 1967, the San Diego Rockets chose Lewis in a special draft. But instead, he decided to join the Indiana Pacers in the ABA.

Winning Championships with the Pacers

Lewis was a key part of the Indiana Pacers team that won many championships. He was a versatile guard, meaning he could do many things well on the court. He was known for making big plays when it mattered most.

In the 1972 ABA Playoffs, Lewis had an amazing game against the Utah Stars. He scored 23 points, got 12 rebounds, and made 6 assists. He even made two free throws with only 24 seconds left to win the game. In the Finals that same year, he helped the Pacers come back from being 20 points behind. He made the winning free throws with 17 seconds left.

Lewis helped the Pacers win three ABA championships (in 1970, 1972, and 1973). He was also named the MVP of the 1972 Playoffs. He played seven seasons with the Pacers, averaging 16.1 points, 4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.

He was chosen for the ABA All-Star team three times. In 1975, he was named the All-Star Game MVP.

Later Years in His Career

After the Pacers lost in the 1974 playoffs, Lewis was traded to the Memphis Sounds. Later that year, he was traded again to the Spirits of St. Louis.

With the Spirits in 1974–1975, Lewis had his best scoring year, averaging 22.6 points per game. He also won the MVP award for the 1975 ABA All-Star Game. He led his young team to the playoffs. However, he hurt his ankle, and the Spirits lost to the Kentucky Colonels, who went on to win the championship.

After one more year with the Spirits, Lewis went back to the Indiana Pacers. By this time, the Pacers had joined the NBA because the ABA and NBA merged. Lewis retired in 1977 with a total of 12,033 points from both leagues.

ABA All-Time Team Recognition

On August 23, 1997, Freddie Lewis was chosen for the ABA All-Time Team. This team included the 30 best and most important players from the ABA's 10-year history. Players were chosen based on how well they played, their sportsmanship, how they led their team, and how they helped the league grow.

Hall of Fame Consideration

Many people believe Freddie Lewis is one of the greatest Indiana Pacers players ever. The Indianapolis Star newspaper ranks him as the 8th best Pacer of all time. His 11,660 points in the ABA put him in the top six for scoring in that league.

As of 2019, he was being considered for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. If he is chosen, he would join his Pacers teammates Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis, and coach Bob "Slick" Leonard.

Life After Basketball

After retiring from basketball in 1977, Lewis moved to California. He worked for nearly 20 years for Ozzie and Dan Silna, who used to own the Spirits of St. Louis team.

Later, Lewis moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he became a schoolteacher and worked with young teenagers in the city.

In 2002, Lewis returned to Indianapolis. He planned to join the staff of the ABA 2000 team. He even became the head coach for the team's final season, taking over from his former teammate Billy Keller.

Legacy and Impact

In 1997, Freddie Lewis was chosen for the ABA All-Time team. A panel of 50 people, including media, referees, and team owners, voted for him. He received 38 votes, which was the 13th most. Eleven players who are now in the Hall of Fame were ahead of him. In the ABA playoffs, he scored 2,015 points, which is the second most in the league's history.

Hubie Brown, a coach in the ABA, said Lewis was "one of the all-time great guards in the ABA."

Even with all his achievements, Lewis has not been put into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Also, the Pacers have not retired his jersey number, unlike some of his teammates. Many people, including sports writers and other famous basketball players like Rick Barry, think his jersey should be retired. Artis Gilmore, a Hall of Famer, said Lewis was "absolutely one of the many (ABA) players that were not acknowledged (enough).” Nancy Leonard, the wife of Pacers coach Bobby Leonard, said the team would not have won championships without Lewis as captain.

Career Statistics

NBA/ABA Regular Season

Source

NBA/ABA Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Freddie Lewis (baloncestista de 1943) para niños