Jai Lewis

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1983)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Jai Lewis | image = Jai lewis.jpg | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 7 | weight_lb = 275 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|2|13}} | birth_place = Aberdeen, Maryland, U.S. | high_school = Aberdeen (Aberdeen, Maryland)<br/>Maine Central Institute<br/>(Pittsfield, Maine) | college = George Mason (2002–2006) | draft_year = 2006 | career_start = 2006 | career_end = 2013 | career_number = 55 | career_position = Power forward | years1 = 2006 | team1 = KK Bosna | years2 = 2006–2007 | team2 = Ironi Ramat Gan | years3 = 2007 | team3 = Strasbourg IG | years4 = 2007–2008 | team4 = Hapoel Galil Elyon | years5 = 2008–2009 | team5 = Levanga Hokkaido | years6 = 2009–2010 | team6 = Rain or Shine Elasto Painters | years7 = 2010 | team7 = Ironi Ramat Gan | years8 = 2010–2011 | team8 = Levanga Hokkaido | years9 = 2011 | team9 = Changwon LG Sakers | years10 = 2011–2013 | team10 = Levanga Hokkaido | years11 = 2013 | team11 = Once Caldas | years12 = 2013 | team12 = Sabios de-Manizales | highlights = * All-Japanese League First Team (2011) * Japanese League Import Player of the Year (2011) * Japanese League All-Star (2011) }}

'''Jai Lamar Lewis''' (born February 13, 1983) is an American former basketball player. He now works as a behavioral specialist in Parkville, Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/harford-magazine/ph-mg-ha-jai-lewis-20160226-story.html|title=Why you need to know basketball legend Jai Lewis|access-date=October 27, 2017|archive-date=October 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028042951/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/harford-magazine/ph-mg-ha-jai-lewis-20160226-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==College career==

He grew up in Germany to US Army serving parents and began to play basketball while there at the age of 6. When he turned 8 his family moved to Aberdeen, Maryland, where he played for the local Aberdeen High School. He is best known for his career in college basketball at George Mason University. A power forward, Lewis was the primary inside force for the Patriots during their "Cinderella" run to the 2006 Final Four. Lewis was selected as the 47th pick overall in the 2006 CBA Draft by the Pittsburgh Xplosion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Jai-Lewis/Colombia/Sabios-de-Manizales/53871?|title = Jai Lewis Player Profile, Sabios de Manizales, News, Stats - Eurobasket}}</ref>

==NFL attempt== Lewis was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants of the National Football League following the 2006 NFL draft wanting to pursue a career similar to Antonio Gates and Marcus Pollard.

He ended his pursuit of an NFL career as an offensive tackle to pursue his basketball options.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2520392|title=Former George Mason hoops star ends NFL dream|date=July 15, 2006|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Although he was listed at Mason as 6'7", 275 lb (2.01 m, 125 kg), the Giants listed him at 6'5", 292 lb (1.96 m, 133 kg).

==Professional career==

Weeks after leaving the Giants, Lewis signed with KK Bosna for $8,000 a month.<ref name=backtoisrael>{{cite web |title=Jai Lewis Pursues Professional Career |first= |last= |date=March 14, 2008 |url=https://undraftedfreeagent.blogspot.com/2008/03/where-is-jai-lewis-now.html |work=UFA |accessdate=March 14, 2008}}</ref> Lewis was expected to play a significant role for the defending champions. However, Lewis was released from his contract in just six weeks. The team felt he was too small to play power forward in the Adriatic League.<ref name="backtoisrael"/>

Shortly after leaving Bosna, Lewis signed to play in Israel for Ironi Ramat Gan. The contract was for "more than $5,000 a month". In twenty-seven games, he averaged 15.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals.<ref name="backtoisrael"/>

Following his rookie season in Israel, Jai Lewis signed with Strasbourg IG, a French team. Just four games into the season, with Lewis averaging only 3 points on 27% shooting, Strasbourg released Lewis.<ref name="backtoisrael"/>

After playing for Strasbourg, Jai Lewis signed with Hapoel Galil Elyon, another Israeli team who took part in the ULEB Cup,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=000698&seasoncode=u2007|title = LEWIS, JAI LAMAR - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL}}</ref> to finish the 2008 season. He finished the season averaging 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in league play.<ref name="backtoisrael"/> Next, Lewis played for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association along with former George Mason University teammate Fil-Am guard Gabe Norwood.

Prior to the 2010-11 season, he returned to Ironi Ramat Gan from Israel, and played in Liga Leumit for 4 games in 2010. He then moved to Japan to play top basketball. In 2013, after playing in Colombia he retired from professional basketball.

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060513232835/http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/lewis_jai00.html George Mason Patriots bio] *[https://undraftedfreeagent.blogspot.com/2008/03/where-is-jai-lewis-now.html Post-collegiate career summary]

== References == {{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Jai}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen Category:American expatriate basketball people in Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:American expatriate basketball people in Colombia Category:American expatriate basketball people in France Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel Category:American expatriate basketball people in Japan Category:American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines Category:American expatriate basketball people in South Korea Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Maryland Category:Changwon LG Sakers players Category:George Mason Patriots men's basketball players Category:Hapoel Galil Elyon players Category:Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan players Category:Israeli Basketball Premier League players Category:KK Bosna Royal players Category:Levanga Hokkaido players Category:Sportspeople from Aberdeen, Maryland Category:Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars Category:Philippine Basketball Association imports Category:Power forwards Category:Rain or Shine Elasto Painters players Category:SIG Strasbourg players Category:Sportspeople from the Baltimore metropolitan area Category:Sun Rockers Shibuya players Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:20th-century American sportsmen