"I felt pretty comfortable in that I was going to grow as a player. I think another thing that went into it was, like, I knew I was going to have some expectations. I want to be able to play with those expectations."
"Lewis provided the spark the Gaels needed with the West Coast Conference trophy at the center of the table. He punished the Bulldogs defense for switches by attacking bigs off the dribble, and for going under screens by drilling seven 3-pointers. Lewis didn't just provide life for his Gaels; he snatched it from the nation's ninth-ranked team."
"As a top-100 recruit, he turned down greater NIL money and took a lesser role as a freshman because he trusted that growth would outweigh guarantee. Not many make that decision. The last time the portal was open, nearly 2,700 players hopped in, a new record."
Mikey Lewis, a top-100 recruit and sophomore at Saint Mary's, chose to stay with the Gaels despite the transfer portal offering opportunities for more minutes and shots elsewhere. Coach Randy Bennett made no guarantees, but Lewis valued the promise of growth as a player. His decision proved worthwhile when he delivered a career-high 31 points in a thrilling upset victory over ninth-ranked Gonzaga in front of family and friends near his Oakland hometown. This performance marked his eighth consecutive double-digit game and positioned him for All-WCC honors. Lewis's choice to forgo greater NIL money and accept a lesser freshman role demonstrated his commitment to development over immediate rewards, a rare decision in an era where nearly 2,700 players entered the transfer portal.
Read at The Mercury News
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