After four-star forward Terrence Lewis’ Iowa State visit over the weekend, the Cyclones sit in a good spot to pick up his commitment via a scheduled press conference on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The 6-foot-5, 180-pound, prospect is long, athletic and highly-skilled for a young forward.
Rated as the No. 100 prospect in the country by 247 Composite, the Milwaukee-native would make for a very nice start to Steve Prohm’s 2017 recruiting class. He is the No. 22 small forward in the country and the second-best player from the state of Wisconsin.
Here’s a breakdown to Lewis’ game heading into his decision later this week.
Strengths
- Length: Lewis has a long, long frame that is perfect for today’s brand of basketball. He’s got long arms that make him a dangerous defender on the perimeter and a deadly shot blocker all over the court. I don’t know exactly what his wingspan is, but I’d have to guess it isn’t far off from 7-foot.
- Touch: He shows a great deal of touch in the lane which leads to a soft shot around the rim. He’s a good finisher down-low whether he gets there off a pass or a drive. He’s also got a nice floater that can be a good weapon in traffic.
- Shooting: Lewis shows the ability to be a very good long-range shooter, especially from both corners. He’s got a smooth shot that finishes up high every time. The ball gets good rotation and stays soft all the way to the rim.
- Athleticism: Now, Lewis isn’t exactly what you would call an explosive athlete. He isn’t a high-flying dunker, but he is a solid athlete that runs the floor well, plays above the rim and leaps quickly under the hoop.
Needs to improve
- Weight: I’m not saying Lewis is small, but he’s going to have to add some size in order to bang around in the Big 12. He’s got a good frame to add weight though so that should be a process that isn’t too incredibly difficult. If he can get a little closer to 200-pounds, he could be an animal.
- Ball-handling: Lewis handles the ball well for a 6-foot-5-inch, forward but he gets a little loose with it sometimes, which isn’t going to fly in college like it does on the AAU circuit. He’s got a good base set with his handling and can only get better at this point.
Final thoughts
There is no doubt in my mind that Lewis has the game to become a star at the college level. He’s a great deal more polished than a lot of the other forwards coming out of high school and that makes me think he can only get better.
He’s a smooth shooting, long, athletic, forward that should play well into today’s college basketball. He’ll need to add strength and improve his ball-handling, but he’s got good bases set that should allow him to only get better.
I guess, now all there is to do is wait for his decision.
Jared StansburyJared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.