London Lions land NBA Draft pick Maxwell Lewis on season-long loan

London Lions have added former NBA Draft pick Maxwell Lewis on a season-long loan from EuroLeague side Žalgiris Kaunas.

The club confirmed the move on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, describing the American forward as a major addition for the 2026-27 season as London continue to build for domestic and European competition.

Lewis, 23, was selected 40th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and has already spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. According to the Lions, the 6ft 7in wing shared an NBA court with LeBron James during his Lakers spell and was part of the squad that won the NBA In-Season Tournament in his rookie year.

He later appeared in 21 games for Brooklyn, with the Lions listing his Nets averages at 5.3 points and 2.5 rebounds, before moving into European basketball.

Žalgiris have signed Lewis through to the end of the 2028-29 season, but the Lithuanian club have chosen to send him to London for the year ahead. For the Lions, it gives them a high-upside wing with NBA experience as they prepare for another multi-competition campaign.

Lewis arrives after a productive spell in Lithuania. The Lions said he joined Juventus Utena in March after starting the 2025-26 season with Tofaş Bursa in the Basketball Champions League, then averaged 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds across 22 LKL games while shooting 44.3 per cent from three-point range. His production rose again in the LKL Finals, where the club said he averaged 19.7 points per game.

London Lions general manager Martynas Purlys said the club were “thrilled” to bring Lewis to London, pointing to his versatility, athleticism and upside as key reasons for the move.

Lewis becomes London’s sixth confirmed signing of the offseason, joining returnees Deane Williams, Joel Scott and Ethan Price, plus new arrivals Emilis Zibuda and Thomas Kennedy.

For UK basketball fans, it is another clear sign of the Lions’ ambition. After securing their EuroCup place, London are now adding players with top-level European and NBA experience to a roster that is being shaped for both the SLB and continental basketball.

Image: London Lions official announcement. Source: London Lions.