For most of his 16-year career, Rashard Lewis was a pure, unadulterated, scoring machine. He could make three-pointers look as easy as layups, and he had the ability to put the ball down and actually lay it up with ease, too. He spent time as his team's first option, and then found success as a role player. He earned All Star accolades, and - in a limited role - even won an NBA championship.
Now, the former star will become the latest NBA player to visit India, with an eye at promoting the growth of basketball in the country.
"The NBA's contribution to the growth of basketball in India has been amazing," said Lewis. "There's a lot more in store for NBA fans in India this year, and I'm excited to be part of the celebration of the game."
Lewis was drafted straight out of high school by the Seattle Supersonics in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft. While it took a couple years for his career to gain momentum, he soon found his stride and became a star for Seattle, making many teams regret overlooking him in his draft class. The nine Sonics' years were the most dominant of his individual career, playing besides great guards like Gary Payton and Ray Allen. He was named an All Star in 2005 and averaged a career-best 22.4 ppg in 2006-07. Lewis joined the Orlando Magic in a lucrative sign-and-trade in 2007, and in 2009 was an All Star and made it to the NBA Finals with Orlando. After a brief stopover with the Wizards, Lewis ended his career with the Miami Heat, where he played a small role in the 2013 NBA championship squad led by LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh.
In 2017, Lewis joined the 3 Headed Monsters of the BIG3 basketball league. Lewis was awarded MVP of the season, but the Monsters lost in the Finals to the Trilogy.
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