Freddie Lewis
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.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 1, 1943 Huntington, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | McKeesport (McKeesport, Pennsylvania) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1966: 10th round, 88th overall pick |
| Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | |
| Playing career | 1966–1977 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 19, 14, 6, 1 |
| Career history | |
| 1966–1967 | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1967–1974 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1974 | Memphis Sounds |
| 1974–1976 | Spirits of St. Louis |
| 1976–1977 | Indiana Pacers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA and ABA statistics | |
| Points | 12,033 (16.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,752 (3.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,979 (4.0 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
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.