RETURNING Next Star Malique Lewis looks poised for a seriously strong campaign with the SEM Phoenix in the 2024/25 component of the National Basketball League (NBL) after putting together some strong performances in the Blitz preseason tournament.

Lewis is entering his second season of the Next Star program, having enjoyed a solid campaign with the Phoenix as a defensive piece last year. He initially put his name into the ring for the 2025 NBA Draft, but later withdrew a couple of weeks prior to the draft and opted to return to South East Melbourne in a bid to boost his stock and have a proper crack in 2026.

Now, it appears he has addressed some of the weaknesses in his game, looking much more of a two-way threat in the Blitz tournament, and if he can translate these performances to the home and away season, he could seriously enter draft calculations over the next nine months.

Malique Lewis

Across two preseason outings – 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game

Lewis was one of the standout performers for the Phoenix at the Blitz tournament, looking like he has taken the next step on the offensive game and cementing his place as one to watch in the starting lineup for their upcoming campaign.

Although the wing had announced himself as a strong defensive performer throughout his first season as a member of the Phoenix, he did struggle with a lack of consistency and production on the offensive end, which may have affected his draft chances initially.

However, the Blitz tournament has shown he looks much more confident in his scoring ability and he can be a reliable contributor on the offensive end, which will certainly be a massive boost for South East Melbourne’s chances of success.

He scored double-digits in both outings in the Blitz, with his leap encapsulated perfectly by a 15-point (6/10 FG) outing against the New Zealand Breakers. He looked aggressive with ball in hand and even knocked down a pair of three-pointers in a strong step forward in his long-range presence.

While he maintained his defensive intensity, Lewis was given a bigger role on the offensive end, even spending more time as a primary ball-handler, although he did struggle with some sloppy plays with ball in hand as he adjusted to his new role.

Regardless, the fact that he poured in 10-plus points in both outings, was looking to create his own shots instead of his previous method of scoring off-ball, and was able to stretch the floor with some long-range shooting shows that Lewis has taken some big steps forward over the off-season.

If he can average double-digits in the points column over the 2025/26 fixture while maintaining his defensive pressure and still guarding the opposition’s best backcourt players, he will be hard for NBA teams to ignore come draft time.