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{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{Infobox NBA Player
{{For|other people named Freddie Lewis|Frederick Lewis (disambiguation){{!}}Frederick Lewis}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Freddie Lewis
| name = Freddie Lewis
| image = Freddie Lewis.jpg
| nickname =
| image =
| width =
| caption =
| position = [[Point guard]]
| height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 175
| weight_lb = 175
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|07|01}}
| nationality = American
| birth_place = [[Huntington, West Virginia]], U.S.
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|7|1|mf=y}}
| high_school = [[McKeesport Area High School|McKeesport]]<br />([[McKeesport, Pennsylvania]])
| birth_place = [[Huntington, West Virginia|Huntington]], [[West Virginia]]
| college = [[Arizona State University|Arizona State]]
| college = *[[Eastern Arizona College|Eastern Arizona]] (1962–1964)
*[[Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball|Arizona State]] (1964–1966)
| highschool = [[McKeesport Area High School|McKeesport]] ([[Pennsylvania]])
| draft = 10th round, 4th pick (88th overall)
| draft_team = [[Sacramento Kings|Cincinnati Royals]]
| draft_year = 1966
| draft_year = 1966
| draft_round = 10
| career_start = [[1966-67 NBA season|1966]]
| draft_pick = 88
| career_end = [[1976-77 NBA season|1977]]
| draft_team = [[Cincinnati Royals]]
| former_teams = Cincinnati Royals (1966–67)<br>[[Indiana Pacers]] (1967–74)<br>[[Memphis Sounds]] (1974)<br>[[Spirits of St. Louis]] (1974–76)<br>Indiana Pacers (1976–77)
| career_start = 1966
| awards = 1975 [[American Basketball Association|ABA]] MVP
| halloffame =
| career_end = 1977
| career_number = 19, 14, 6, 1
| career_position = [[Point guard]]
| years1 = {{nbay|1966|full=y}}
| team1 = [[Cincinnati Royals]]
| years2 = [[1967–68 ABA season|1967]]–[[1973–74 ABA season|1974]]
| team2 = [[Indiana Pacers]]
| years3 = [[1974–75 ABA season|1974]]
| team3 = [[Memphis Sounds]]
| years4 = [[1974–75 ABA season|1974]]–[[1975–76 ABA season|1976]]
| team4 = [[Spirits of St. Louis]]
| years5 = {{nbay|1976|full=y}}
| team5 = Indiana Pacers
| highlights = * 3× [[ABA champion]] ([[1970 ABA Playoffs|1970]], [[1972 ABA Playoffs|1972]], [[1973 ABA Playoffs|1973]])
* [[ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award|ABA Playoffs MVP]] (1972)
* 3× ABA All-Star ([[1968 ABA All-Star Game|1968]], [[1972 ABA All-Star Game|1972]], [[1975 ABA All-Star Game|1975]])
* ABA All-Star Game MVP (1975)
* [[ABA All-Time Team]]
* First-team All-[[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]] (1966)
| stats_league = NBA and ABA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 12,033 (16.0 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 2,752 (3.7 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 2,979 (4.0 apg)
| bbr = lewisfr02
}}
}}
'''Frederick L. Lewis''' (born July 1, 1943 in [[Huntington, West Virginia]]) is a retired [[United States|American]] [[basketball]] player. He played professionally in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) and now defunct [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA) from 1966 to 1977.
'''Frederick L. Lewis''' (born July 1, 1943) is a retired American [[basketball]] player. He played professionally in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) and [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA). He is the only player to start his career in the NBA, and play all 9 full ABA seasons (1967–1976) until the NBA/ABA merger, then sign back with the NBA.


Lewis was a fundamentally sound 6'0" (1.83 m) guard who could pass, shoot, and defend equally well. He attended [[McKeesport Area High School]] (in [[Pennsylvania]]) and [[Arizona State University]] before being drafted by the NBA's [[Sacramento Kings|Cincinnati Royals]] in 1966. After one season of limited playing time with the Royals, he moved to the rival ABA, spending the next seven seasons with the [[Indiana Pacers]].
Born in [[Huntington, West Virginia]], Lewis was a fundamentally sound 6'0" (1.83 m) [[Point guard|guard]] who could pass, shoot, and defend equally well. He attended [[McKeesport Area High School]] (in [[Pennsylvania]]) and [[Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball|Arizona State University]] before being drafted by the NBA's [[Cincinnati Royals]].


Lewis played a prominent role on three [[American Basketball Association]] championship teams for the [[Indiana Pacers]], averaging 16.6 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds in seven seasons.
Though players like [[Roger Brown]] and [[Mel Daniels]] received more attention from Indiana fans, Lewis was a solid contributor on three Pacers teams that won the ABA Championship (in 1970, 1972, and 1973). He also represented the Pacers in three [[All-Star]] games (1968, 1970, and 1972). After the Pacers lost to the [[Utah Stars]] in the 1974 finals, however, the Pacers traded Lewis, along with Brown and Daniels, to the [[Memphis Sounds]]. Daniels, the Sounds' starting [[center (basketball)|center]], then injured his back after slipping in his bathtub, and Lewis was traded to the [[Spirits of St. Louis]] in exchange for replacement center [[Tom Owens]].


==Career==
Lewis averaged a career high 22.6 points per game with the Spirits in 1974&ndash;1975, was named MVP of the [[1975 ABA All-Star Game]], and led the young team into the playoffs. However, Lewis suffered an ankle injury, and the Spirits bowed out to the [[Kentucky Colonels]], the eventual champions. After one more year with the Spirits, Lewis returned to the Pacers (who by this point had joined the NBA), and he retired in 1977 with 12,033 combined NBA/ABA career points.
=== Early years ===
A 10th-round draft pick of the [[Sacramento Kings|Cincinnati Royals]] in [[1966 NBA draft|1966]], he earned a spot as [[Oscar Robertson]]'s backup, averaging 4.7 points and 1.3 assists per game. "Oscar taught me a lot," Lewis is quoted on remembertheaba.com about the legend from Indianapolis. "(He) taught me how to be cool, how to handle situations instead of running all over the court helter-skelter."

Lewis was selected by [[History of the Houston Rockets|San Diego]] in the [[1967 NBA expansion draft]] but instead signed with the [[Indiana Pacers]] of the [[American Basketball Association|ABA]].

=== Chasing the dynasty ===
In [[1972 ABA Playoffs|1972]], Lewis scored 23 points, collected 12 rebounds and dished out 6 assists for the [[Indiana Pacers|Pacers]] in Game 7 vs. the [[Utah Stars]] in the semifinals, hitting two free throws with 24 seconds left for the winning points. Lewis also led a comeback from a 20-point deficit in Game 5 vs. the [[Brooklyn Nets|New York Nets]] in the [[1972 ABA playoffs|Finals]], hitting the game-winning free throws with 17 seconds left in the contest.

Lewis was an essential piece of the [[Indiana Pacers]] dynasty. A versatile guard that could make big plays in the clutch. He averaged 16.1 points per game, 4 assist and 3.9 rebounds in seven seasons with the Pacers. He was a three time [[List of ABA champions|ABA champion]] and the [[1972 ABA Playoffs|1972 Playoffs]] MVP.

Lewis also added three [[ABA All-Star Game|ABA All-Star]] appearances and the [[1975 ABA All-Star Game|1975 All-Star Game]] MVP award to his resume.

=== Later years ===
After the Pacers lost to the [[Utah Stars]] in the 1974 Western Division Finals, however, the Pacers traded Lewis, along with Brown and Daniels, to the [[Memphis Sounds]]. Daniels, the Sounds' starting [[center (basketball)|center]], then injured his back after slipping in his bathtub, and Lewis was traded to the [[Spirits of St. Louis]] in exchange for replacement center [[Tom Owens]].

Lewis averaged a career high 22.6 points per game with the Spirits in 1974&ndash;1975, was named MVP of the [[1975 ABA All-Star Game]], and led the young team into the playoffs. However, Lewis suffered an ankle injury, and the Spirits bowed out to the [[Kentucky Colonels]], the eventual champions.

After [[1975–76 ABA season|one more year with the Spirits]], Lewis returned to the [[Indiana Pacers|Pacers]] (who by this point had [[ABA-NBA merger|joined]] the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]), and he retired in [[1976–77 NBA season|1977]] with 12,033 combined NBA/ABA career points.

=== ABA All-Time Team ===
Freddie Lewis was selected to the [[ABA All-Time Team]] on August 23, 1997, in conjunction with the ABA 30th Anniversary reunion. It comprised the thirty best and most influential players of the ABA during its 10 years and 9 full [[regular season]]s of operation, with respect not only to performance at the [[Professional sports|professional]] level but in consideration of [[sportsmanship]], [[Team sport|team]] [[leadership]], and contributions to the growth of the league basketball, and irrespective of [[Basketball position|positions]] played. Only players to have played at least a portion of their careers in the ABA were eligible for selection, although performance in other leagues, most notably the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]], was ostensibly considered. Selected and announced beside the all-time team were a [[most valuable player]] and top [[head coach]].

=== Hall of Fame balloting ===
Freddie Lewis is considered to be one of the greatest [[Indiana Pacers]] ever; according to ''[[The Indianapolis Star]]'' he ranks 8th all time. His 11,660 ABA points place him in the top six in ABA scoring records.

As of 2019, he is currently on the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] class ballot waiting to join his Pacers teammates Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis and coach Bob "Slick" Leonard.

== Retirement ==
Lewis retired from professional basketball after the [[1976-77 NBA season|1976-77 season]] and moved to [[California]], where he spent nearly two decades working for Ozzie and Dan Silna, the former owners of the [[Spirits of St. Louis]].

Lewis later moved to [[Washington, D.C.]], where he was an inner-city [[Teacher|schoolteacher]], working with young teens.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Where Are They Now? Freddie Lewis|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/freddielewis-html|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Indiana Pacers|language=en}}</ref>

In 2002, Lewis moved back to [[Indianapolis]] with plans of joining the staff of Indianapolis' [[American Basketball Association (2000–present)|ABA 2000]] team, and took over as head coach from former teammate [[Billy Keller]] during the franchise's final season.<ref name=":0" />

==Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}
{|class ="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#afe6fa; width:3em;"|†
|Denotes seasons in which Lewis's team won an [[List of ABA champions|ABA championship]]
|}

===NBA/ABA===
Source<ref name=bbr>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lewisfr02.html|title=Freddie Lewis NBA stats|website=[[Basketball Reference]]|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=30 May 2024}}</ref>

====Regular season====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! MPG
! FG%
! 3P%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! SPG
! BPG
! PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left";|{{nbay|1966}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1966–67 Cincinnati Royals season|Cincinnati]]
| 32 || 10.4 || .392 || || .707 || 1.4 || 1.3 || || || 4.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1967}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1967–68 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 76 || 38.4 || .421 || .216 || .798 || '''5.8''' || 2.4 || || || 20.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1968}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1968–69 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 78 || 39.2 || .440 || .265 || .822 || 4.8 || 4.4 || || || 20.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6fa;"|{{abay|1969}}†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1969–70 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| '''81''' || 35.5 || .421 || .266 || .790 || 3.4 || 3.6 || || || 16.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1970}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1970–71 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| '''81''' || 37.5 || .441 || .304 || .807 || 4.1 || 5.3 || || || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6fa;"|{{abay|1971}}†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971–72 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 77 || 35.2 || .428 || .310 || .861 || 4.2 || 4.7 || || || 15.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6fa;"|{{abay|1972}}†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1972–73 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 72 || 30.8 || .436 || '''.345''' || .822 || 3.2 || 4.0 || || || 14.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1973}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1973–74 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 78 || 27.7 || .398 || .181 || .831 || 2.6 || 4.1 || 1.3 || '''.1''' || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left";|{{abay|1974}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1974–75 Memphis Sounds season|Memphis]] (ABA)
| 6 || 37.8 || .405 || .167 || '''.938''' || 3.3 || 3.2 || 1.7 || .0 || 17.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1974|nolink=y}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1974–75 Spirits of St. Louis season|St. Louis]] (ABA)
| 63 || '''40.7''' || '''.476''' || .279 || .840 || 3.9 || '''5.5''' || '''2.2''' || .0 || '''22.6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1975}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1975–76 Spirits of St. Louis season|St. Louis]] (ABA)
| 74 || 30.6 || .423 || .292 || .817 || 2.9 || 4.0 || 1.5 || '''.1''' || 14.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1976}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1976–77 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| 32 || 17.4 || .407 || || .805 || 1.5 || 1.8 || .6 || '''.1''' || 7.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career (NBA)
| 64 || 13.8 || .401 || || .771 || 1.4 || 1.5 || .6 || .1 || 5.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career (ABA)
| 686 || 35.0 || .433 || .280 || .819 || 3.9 || 4.2 || 1.6 || .1 || 17.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career (overall)
| 750 || 33.2 || .432 || .280 || .817 || 3.7 || 4.0 || 1.5 || .1 || 16.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|All-Star (ABA)
| 3 || 23.0 || .568 || .667 || .857 || 2.0 || 4.7 || 2.0 || .0 || 16.7
{{s-end}}

====Playoffs====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! MPG
! FG%
! 3P%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! SPG
! BPG
! PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1966–67 Cincinnati Royals season|Cincinnati]]
| 3 || 3.0 || .444 || || &ndash; || 1.3 || .0 || || || 2.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1968 ABA playoffs|1968]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1967–68 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 3 || 38.7 || .429 || .000 || '''.966''' || '''6.3''' || 2.3 || || || 23.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1969 ABA playoffs|1969]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1968–69 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| style="background:#cfecec;"|17* || 42.8 || .440 || .294 || .872 || 4.1 || 4.6 || || || 24.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6fa;"|[[1970 ABA playoffs|1970]]†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1969–70 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 14 || 38.0 || .380 || '''.357''' || .836 || 4.1 || 3.9 || || || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971 ABA playoffs|1971]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1970–71 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 11 || 34.9 || .364 || .130 || .757 || 4.4 || 4.7 || || || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6fa;"|[[1972 ABA playoffs|1972]]†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971–72 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| style="background:#cfecec;"|'''20'''* || 40.3 || .441 || .206 || .852 || 4.1 || 4.4 || || || 19.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6fa;"|[[1973 ABA playoffs|1973]]†
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1972–73 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 18 || 35.4 || .392 || .222 || .863 || 3.7 || '''5.1''' || || || 15.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1974 ABA playoffs|1974]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1973–74 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (ABA)
| 14 || 39.1 || .441 || .316 || .866 || 3.6 || 4.4 || 1.7 || '''.1''' || 17.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1975 ABA playoffs|1975]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1974–75 Spirits of St. Louis season|St. Louis]] (ABA)
| 49|| '''44.8''' || '''.483''' || .333 || .822 || 5.1 || 2.9 || '''1.8''' || '''.1''' || '''26.2'''
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career (ABA)
| 106 || 39.2 || .424 || .246 || .852 || 4.1 || 4.3 || 1.7 || .1 || 19.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career (overall)
| 109 || 38.2 || .424 || .246 || .852 || 4.0 || 4.2 || 1.7 || .1 || 18.6
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://basketball-reference.com/players/l/lewisfr02.html Career stats] at basketball-reference.com
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lewisfr02.html Career stats] at basketball-reference.com
*[http://www.remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/Lewis.html Freddie Lewis] at Remember the ABA
*[http://www.remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/Lewis.html Freddie Lewis] at Remember the ABA
*Indystar.com [https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2017/02/01/greatest-pacers-all-time/92073712/ Greatest Pacers of All Time]
*Query & Schultz Podcast [https://www.spreaker.com/user/9809111/freddie-lewis-7-27-17 Catching up with Freddie Lewis]


{{navboxes|list=
{{start box}}
{{ABA All-Star Game MVPs}}
{{succession box|title=[[1972 ABA Playoffs|American Basketball Association Playoffs]] Most Valuable Player|before=[[Zelmo Beaty]]| years=1972|after=[[George McGinnis]]}}
{{ABA Playoffs MVPs}}
{{succession box|title=[[American Basketball Association]] All Star Game Most Valuable Player|before=[[Artis Gilmore]]| years=1975|after=[[David Thompson (basketball)|David Thompson]]}}
{{end box}}

{{ABAATT}}
{{ABAATT}}
{{Indiana Pacers 1969–70 ABA Champions}}
{{Indiana Pacers 1971–72 ABA Champions}}
{{Indiana Pacers 1972–73 ABA Champions}}
}}{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Lewis, Freddie
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = July 1, 1943
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Huntington, West Virginia|Huntington]], [[West Virginia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Freddie}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Freddie}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African American basketball players]]
[[Category:American Basketball Association (2000–present) coaches]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from West Virginia]]
[[Category:Basketball players from West Virginia]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Royals draft picks]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Royals draft picks]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Royals players]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Royals players]]
[[Category:Continental Basketball Association coaches]]
[[Category:Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Indiana Pacers players]]
[[Category:Indiana Pacers players]]
[[Category:Junior college men's basketball players in the United States]]
[[Category:Memphis Sounds players]]
[[Category:Memphis Sounds players]]
[[Category:People from Huntington, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Point guards]]
[[Category:Point guards]]
[[Category:San Diego Rockets expansion draft picks]]
[[Category:San Diego Rockets expansion draft picks]]
[[Category:Spirits of St. Louis players]]
[[Category:Spirits of St. Louis players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Huntington, West Virginia]]

[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]

[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
{{1940s-US-hoops-bio-stub}}

[[es:Freddie Lewis]]
[[it:Freddie Lewis (cestista 1943)]]

Latest revision as of 19:36, 6 November 2024

For other people named Freddie Lewis, see Frederick Lewis.

Freddie Lewis
Personal information
Born (1943-07-01) July 1, 1943 (age 81)
Huntington, West Virginia, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolMcKeesport
(McKeesport, Pennsylvania)
College
NBA draft1966: 10th round, 88th overall pick
Selected by the Cincinnati Royals
Playing career1966–1977
PositionPoint guard
Number19, 14, 6, 1
Career history
1966–1967Cincinnati Royals
1967–1974Indiana Pacers
1974Memphis Sounds
1974–1976Spirits of St. Louis
1976–1977Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points12,033 (16.0 ppg)
Rebounds2,752 (3.7 rpg)
Assists2,979 (4.0 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference

Frederick L. Lewis (born July 1, 1943) is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA). He is the only player to start his career in the NBA, and play all 9 full ABA seasons (1967–1976) until the NBA/ABA merger, then sign back with the NBA.

Born in Huntington, West Virginia, Lewis was a fundamentally sound 6'0" (1.83 m) guard who could pass, shoot, and defend equally well. He attended McKeesport Area High School (in Pennsylvania) and Arizona State University before being drafted by the NBA's Cincinnati Royals.

Lewis played a prominent role on three American Basketball Association championship teams for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 16.6 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds in seven seasons.

Career

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

A 10th-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Royals in 1966, he earned a spot as Oscar Robertson's backup, averaging 4.7 points and 1.3 assists per game. "Oscar taught me a lot," Lewis is quoted on remembertheaba.com about the legend from Indianapolis. "(He) taught me how to be cool, how to handle situations instead of running all over the court helter-skelter."

Lewis was selected by San Diego in the 1967 NBA expansion draft but instead signed with the Indiana Pacers of the ABA.

Chasing the dynasty

[edit]

In 1972, Lewis scored 23 points, collected 12 rebounds and dished out 6 assists for the Pacers in Game 7 vs. the Utah Stars in the semifinals, hitting two free throws with 24 seconds left for the winning points. Lewis also led a comeback from a 20-point deficit in Game 5 vs. the New York Nets in the Finals, hitting the game-winning free throws with 17 seconds left in the contest.

Lewis was an essential piece of the Indiana Pacers dynasty. A versatile guard that could make big plays in the clutch. He averaged 16.1 points per game, 4 assist and 3.9 rebounds in seven seasons with the Pacers. He was a three time ABA champion and the 1972 Playoffs MVP.

Lewis also added three ABA All-Star appearances and the 1975 All-Star Game MVP award to his resume.

Later years

[edit]

After the Pacers lost to the Utah Stars in the 1974 Western Division Finals, however, the Pacers traded Lewis, along with Brown and Daniels, to the Memphis Sounds. Daniels, the Sounds' starting center, then injured his back after slipping in his bathtub, and Lewis was traded to the Spirits of St. Louis in exchange for replacement center Tom Owens.

Lewis averaged a career high 22.6 points per game with the Spirits in 1974–1975, was named MVP of the 1975 ABA All-Star Game, and led the young team into the playoffs. However, Lewis suffered an ankle injury, and the Spirits bowed out to the Kentucky Colonels, the eventual champions.

After one more year with the Spirits, Lewis returned to the Pacers (who by this point had joined the NBA), and he retired in 1977 with 12,033 combined NBA/ABA career points.

ABA All-Time Team

[edit]

Freddie Lewis was selected to the ABA All-Time Team on August 23, 1997, in conjunction with the ABA 30th Anniversary reunion. It comprised the thirty best and most influential players of the ABA during its 10 years and 9 full regular seasons of operation, with respect not only to performance at the professional level but in consideration of sportsmanship, team leadership, and contributions to the growth of the league basketball, and irrespective of positions played. Only players to have played at least a portion of their careers in the ABA were eligible for selection, although performance in other leagues, most notably the NBA, was ostensibly considered. Selected and announced beside the all-time team were a most valuable player and top head coach.

Hall of Fame balloting

[edit]

Freddie Lewis is considered to be one of the greatest Indiana Pacers ever; according to The Indianapolis Star he ranks 8th all time. His 11,660 ABA points place him in the top six in ABA scoring records.

As of 2019, he is currently on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class ballot waiting to join his Pacers teammates Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis and coach Bob "Slick" Leonard.

Retirement

[edit]

Lewis retired from professional basketball after the 1976-77 season and moved to California, where he spent nearly two decades working for Ozzie and Dan Silna, the former owners of the Spirits of St. Louis.

Lewis later moved to Washington, D.C., where he was an inner-city schoolteacher, working with young teens.[1]

In 2002, Lewis moved back to Indianapolis with plans of joining the staff of Indianapolis' ABA 2000 team, and took over as head coach from former teammate Billy Keller during the franchise's final season.[1]

Career statistics

[edit]
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 *  Led the league
† Denotes seasons in which Lewis's team won an ABA championship

NBA/ABA

[edit]

Source[2]

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1966–67 Cincinnati 32 10.4 .392 .707 1.4 1.3 4.7
1967–68 Indiana (ABA) 76 38.4 .421 .216 .798 5.8 2.4 20.6
1968–69 Indiana (ABA) 78 39.2 .440 .265 .822 4.8 4.4 20.3
1969–70† Indiana (ABA) 81 35.5 .421 .266 .790 3.4 3.6 16.4
1970–71 Indiana (ABA) 81 37.5 .441 .304 .807 4.1 5.3 18.8
1971–72† Indiana (ABA) 77 35.2 .428 .310 .861 4.2 4.7 15.4
1972–73† Indiana (ABA) 72 30.8 .436 .345 .822 3.2 4.0 14.9
1973–74 Indiana (ABA) 78 27.7 .398 .181 .831 2.6 4.1 1.3 .1 9.9
1974–75 Memphis (ABA) 6 37.8 .405 .167 .938 3.3 3.2 1.7 .0 17.7
1974–75 St. Louis (ABA) 63 40.7 .476 .279 .840 3.9 5.5 2.2 .0 22.6
1975–76 St. Louis (ABA) 74 30.6 .423 .292 .817 2.9 4.0 1.5 .1 14.8
1976–77 Indiana 32 17.4 .407 .805 1.5 1.8 .6 .1 7.0
Career (NBA) 64 13.8 .401 .771 1.4 1.5 .6 .1 5.8
Career (ABA) 686 35.0 .433 .280 .819 3.9 4.2 1.6 .1 17.0
Career (overall) 750 33.2 .432 .280 .817 3.7 4.0 1.5 .1 16.0
All-Star (ABA) 3 23.0 .568 .667 .857 2.0 4.7 2.0 .0 16.7

Playoffs

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Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1967 Cincinnati 3 3.0 .444 – 1.3 .0 2.7
1968 Indiana (ABA) 3 38.7 .429 .000 .966 6.3 2.3 23.3
1969 Indiana (ABA) 17* 42.8 .440 .294 .872 4.1 4.6 24.1
1970† Indiana (ABA) 14 38.0 .380 .357 .836 4.1 3.9 20.4
1971 Indiana (ABA) 11 34.9 .364 .130 .757 4.4 4.7 9.9
1972† Indiana (ABA) 20* 40.3 .441 .206 .852 4.1 4.4 19.2
1973† Indiana (ABA) 18 35.4 .392 .222 .863 3.7 5.1 15.5
1974 Indiana (ABA) 14 39.1 .441 .316 .866 3.6 4.4 1.7 .1 17.4
1975 St. Louis (ABA) 49 44.8 .483 .333 .822 5.1 2.9 1.8 .1 26.2
Career (ABA) 106 39.2 .424 .246 .852 4.1 4.3 1.7 .1 19.0
Career (overall) 109 38.2 .424 .246 .852 4.0 4.2 1.7 .1 18.6

References

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  1. ^ a b "Where Are They Now? Freddie Lewis". Indiana Pacers. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  2. ^ "Freddie Lewis NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
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