LONDON LIONS LAND NBA DRAFT PICK MAXWELL LEWIS ON LOAN

London, Wednesday 17 June 2026 - London Lions have pulled off a statement signing for the 2026-27 season, bringing in American forward Maxwell Lewis on a season-long loan from EuroLeague side Zalgiris Kaunas.

Lewis, 23, arrives in the capital with genuine NBA pedigree. The 6'7" wing was selected 40th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and went on to share an NBA court with LeBron James, winning the league’s In-Season Tournament with the Los Angeles Lakers in his rookie year. He later moved to the Brooklyn Nets, appearing in 21 games and averaging 5.3 points and 2.5 rebounds before taking his game to Europe.

The forward has committed his long-term future to Zalgiris on a deal running through the end of the 2028-29 season, with the Lithuanian giants electing to loan him to London for the year ahead as the next step in his development. It is a vote of confidence in the Lions as the environment to push one of European basketball’s most promising young wings towards the EuroLeague level.

Lewis comes to London in red-hot form. After opening the 2025-26 season with Tofas Bursa in the Basketball Champions League, he moved to Juventus Utena in March and became a central figure in a historic run to the LKL Finals, averaging 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds across 22 league games while shooting a scorching 44.3 per cent from three. He saved his best for the biggest stage, pouring in 19.7 points a night across the LKL Finals series.

The athletic, rangy forward brings exactly the kind of two-way upside and scoring punch the Lions will look to unleash both domestically and back on the European stage.

General Manager Martynas Purlys said:

“We are thrilled to welcome Maxwell to London. He is exactly the kind of dynamic, versatile wing we were looking for, a player with NBA pedigree, elite athleticism, and real upside. Maxwell has shown he can compete at the highest level and we believe the Lions are the perfect environment for him to take the next step in his career. London is ready for him and we can’t wait to get started.”

Lewis becomes the sixth confirmed signing of the offseason, joining returnees Deane Williams, Joel Scott and Ethan Price, and fellow new arrivals Emilis Zibuda and Thomas Kennedy, as London build a squad to compete on multiple fronts.