The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball program eye electrifying Villanova Wildcats guard Acaden Lewis, a dynamic playmaker, to bolster their roster after a successful tournament run.
The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball program has a core to build around for next season: Shelton Henderson, Dante Allen, and incoming five-star freshman forward Caleb Gaskins. There will be several voids to fill as senior players Tre Donaldson, Malik Reneau, and Ernest Udeh Jr. depart, plus junior guards Tru Washington and Noam Dovrat enter the transfer portal.
Coming off a 26-9 season, reaching the NCAA Tournament Round of 32, coach Jai Lucas has a strong selling point for recruits, including Acaden Lewis. Despite declaring for the upcoming NBA Draft, the freshman guard intends to enter the transfer portal to maintain eligibility. According to CanesInSight, the Hurricanes are interested in the All-Big East Second Team point guard.
Lewis averaged 12.2 points on 45.6 percent shooting, three rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals in 33 games, started in all, with the Villanova Wildcats. They finished with a 24-8 overall record, 15-5 in Big East play. The team reached the NCAA Tournament as an eighth seed in the West Region, but the appearance was shortlived after a 86-76 outing against the Utah State Agges in the Round of 64.
The upcoming NBA Draft will feature several talented freshman, including a few projected to be lottery selections, including AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, Caleb Wilson, and Mikel Brown Jr., along with others. However, Lewis isn’t projected to be that high or even get drafted.
The Hurricanes have a case to lure him back to college basketball and potentially join the program. The Texas A&M Aggies are reportedly another team looking to acquire Lewis’ services.
The Washington, D.C, native was a four-star recruit coming from Sidwell Friends School, a private college-preparatory institution.
The Hurricanes were one of several programs to present Lewis with an offer, even taking an official visit over a month after coach Jai Lucas was hired. However, they fell short in the recruiting process before Lewis officially committed to the Wildcats.
Coming off a historic turnaround season, the opportunity to play in Coral Gables, Florida, could be more intriguing than before.
Lewis would be a starter if on the Hurricanes roster.
The program seeks to remain competitive, especially after establishing a new winning culture, foundation, and standard.
Coach Lucas and the Hurricanes will have opportunities to utilize the transfer portal to acquire talent and revamp the roster. The window officially opens on Tuesday, April 7, but it’s likely that the recruiting process has already begun.
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