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KJ Lewis' impact for USC men's hoops will go deeper than his talent
TL;DR
KJ Lewis joins USC men's basketball, bringing valuable experience from his time at Arizona and Georgetown. His leadership is expected to significantly impact the team's performance and development of younger players.
Key points
- KJ Lewis transfers to USC from Georgetown
- He has experience from Arizona and Georgetown
- Lewis was a key contributor in NCAA tournaments
- His leadership will benefit younger players
- USC aims to improve with experienced additions
KJ LewisUSC TrojansArizona WildcatsGeorgetown Hoyas
While getting highly-ranked high schoolers is important in college sports, there is still nothing better than adding experience to a team. The Indiana Hoosiers won the title in college football with the most experience on their roster. Although Michigan formed a completely different starting five this season, without any connection to each other, four of their starting players had experience at other programs. Yaxel Lendeborg was a senior, and Aday Mara was a junior. The USC Trojans had that in mind with their recent transfer addition.
Adding 26-year-old senior Chad Baker Mazara, before the blowup at the end, looked like a great move as he was the Trojans' most reliable guy. He had a Final Four experience with Auburn. The Trojans' newest addition, KJ Lewis, last season played 28 games with Georgetown.
KJ Lewis started off his career with the Arizona Wildcats. His freshman season at Arizona made the Sweet Sixteen, and he was a key contributor as he earned PAC-12 All-Freshman Honorable Mention. The next season, he averaged nearly 11 points per game, and Arizona won the Big 12 championship and made it to the Sweet 16 again. That is valuable experience, and every team trying to turn things around needs a player like this.
The Trojans will be welcoming in some exciting young freshmen, such as Adonis Ratliff, Darius Ratliff, and Christian Collins. It will be very necessary for a player like KJ Lewis to take those guys under his wing and be a leader of this team. Not only will KJ Lewis be a big addition to the Trojans with what he can do on the court talent-wise, but his experience should take the Trojans a long way.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC men's basketball uses a winning strategy in college sports
Q&A
What experience does KJ Lewis bring to USC men's basketball?
KJ Lewis has experience from playing at Arizona, where he contributed to a Sweet Sixteen run, and at Georgetown, where he played 28 games last season.
How will KJ Lewis impact the development of USC's freshmen players?
KJ Lewis is expected to take the younger players, like Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff, under his wing, providing leadership and guidance as they adjust to college basketball.
What achievements did KJ Lewis have during his college career?
During his college career, KJ Lewis earned PAC-12 All-Freshman Honorable Mention and helped Arizona win the Big 12 championship while making it to the Sweet Sixteen twice.
