Rashard Lewis

Lore & Background

Lewis attended and played basketball for Alief Elsik High School, where he was elevated to the school's varsity squad in his freshman year. He was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 32nd overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. He played for Seattle from 1998 to 2007, then joined the Orlando Magic in July 2007 via a six-year sign-and-trade deal worth $118 million. He played for Orlando from 2007 to 2010, then was traded to the Washington Wizards in December 2010. After stints with the Wizards and a brief period with the New Orleans Hornets (who waived him), he signed with the Miami Heat in July 2012. He later signed with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2014, but his contract was voided after he failed his physical. He played in the BIG3 league from 2017 to 2023 with the 3 Headed Monsters, winning MVP in 2017. He was hired as a player development coach by the San Antonio Spurs on August 18, 2025.

In Their Own Story

The TD Waterhouse Centre hummed with anticipation during a late-night game in January 2004. Rashard Lewis caught the inbound pass near the top of the key, wiping sweat from his brow. With seconds ticking down, he drove past a defender, rose up for a fadeaway jumper that seemed to hang in the arena lights forever. The net swished. He didn't celebrate wildly; he just nodded toward the bench, embodying the quiet confidence that defined his Magic career.

Reader's Guide

Lewis was a versatile forward known for his three-point shooting. He holds the SuperSonics' record for most three-pointers made. In his first season with Orlando, he was moved from small forward to power forward. He was suspended for the first ten games of the 2009-10 season after testing positive for a banned substance. With the Heat, he earned praise from coach Erik Spoelstra for his defense despite minimal box score statistics in the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals. He won an NBA championship with the Heat in 2013.

Did You Know?

• Lewis scored a career-high 50 points on October 31, 2003, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Saitama, Japan.
• He was the last player remaining in the 'green room' at the 1998 NBA draft before being selected 32nd overall.
• Lewis hit a game-winning shot in Game 1 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which he called the biggest shot of his career.
• He was selected to play for the United States Basketball Team in the 2001 Goodwill Games, winning a gold medal.