"James Harden is the MVP right now," says 2012-13 NBA Champion Rashard Lewis
2013 NBA Champion and a two-time NBA All-Star, Rashard Lewis will be in India from January 26th to January 29th and will meet the participants from the Reliance Foundation Jr NBA program in Bengaluru. He will also be visiting Shoppers Stop in Inorbit Mall, Malad, Mumbai and promote the launch of the NBA Fanwear Collection.
"The NBA's contribution to the growth of basketball in India has been amazing. There's a lot more in store for NBA fans in India this year, and I'm excited to be a part of the celebration of the game," Lewis said.
He agreed to answer some of our questions and this is how it went.
Q: Who is your favorite NBA player to watch today?
Rashard Lewis: My favorite NBA player to watch today is James Harden. He is playing lights out basketball and is playing like the MVP right now.
Q: Looking at the way Luka Doncic has been playing this season, what do you think of him?
Rashard Lewis: The way he has been performing right now, I think he is going to win the Rookie of the Year award. He is a young player but he is playing like he has been in the NBA for a long time.
Q: Out of the four franchises you played for, which franchise impressed you the most?
Rashard Lewis: I played for all four franchises at different stages of my life. I love the Seattle Supersonics because I was a young kid when they drafted me. When I went to Orlando, it was my prime time and I made it to the NBA Finals for the first time in my career. Also, being with the Miami Heat and winning an NBA championship is something I will never forget in my life.
Q: Do you watch your highlights on YouTube?
Rashard Lewis: Yes, I do watch my highlights on youtube. I always like to go back and see myself in the old days.
Q: Are you satisfied with your achievements in the NBA?
Rashard Lewis: Yes, very satisfied with my achievements. Coming in as a young kid and making it to two All-Star games, being in three NBA Finals and winning a championship after playing in the league for 17 years, I am very satisfied with what I have achieved in my career.
Q: How was the experience playing in BIG 3?
Rashard Lewis: My experience playing in the BIG 3 league has been wonderful. I love that league and obviously, we will play for the third time this summer. I feel Ice Cube has done a great job of creating a league for players like myself who still love to play the game and compete at a high level. I think it is a great league and will become more global.
Q: Did winning the MVP award in BIG 3 league take the pain away of losing in the finals or did it hurt?
Rashard Lewis: You can never take the pain away of losing in the finals. That is something you will always remember but winning the BIG 3 league MVP (that too in the first year of the league) was definitely special for me. I was excited about the league and my kids really enjoyed it but my goal is to back this summer and win the Big 3 league championship.
Q: Who do you think will win the NBA regular season MVP award this year?
Rashard Lewis: This year, as of now, James Harden is playing like he is going to win the MVP but I think towards the end of the season, it will probably be between James Harden, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis and the 'Greek Freak'.
Q: How was it being a part of the championship team in 2013, playing alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh?
Rashard Lewis: It was an unbelievable experience playing with the three future Hall of Famers (LeBron, Wade and Bosh) and also Ray Allen. Not only them, the team also had Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Dexter Pittman. We had a fun experience and it was just about winning the championship for all of us. Also, Pat Riley being the GM, it was a great basketball atmosphere.
Q: You were a reliable threat from the three-point line. What do you think of shooters like Stephen Curry who knock down three-pointers at a very high efficiency?
Rashard Lewis: It is unbelievable the way Steph Curry shoots the ball. It is like playing a video game, the way he shoots. He is breaking records at an unbelievable rate and he makes it look so effortless. It almost looks like he is shooting a free-throw and I think by the time he retires, he will be #1 at everything (percentage of shots made, shots taken) from the three-point line for sure.
Q: Do you think the Warriors will three-peat?
Rashard Lewis: I think the Golden State Warriors will three-peat. They played a little bit up and down early in the season but now it seems like they are starting to play better. DeMarcus Cousins just came back and once they hit the rhythm with him in the lineup, they will be way better and probably win the title once again.
Q: Should the Lakers go at Anthony Davis at the cost of losing young Lakers’ core?
Rashard Lewis: I think that is the plan for next season. The Lakers will be trying to get in Anthony Davis. That is the rumor going on around the league but if not Anthony Davis, I can see some other superstar who will be playing for the Lakers. Obviously, you would want to play alongside LeBron James and be in the Lakers atmosphere because you have a chance to win an NBA championship. If Anthony Davis does go to that team next season, I can see them become one of the contenders right away.
Q: Who was your favorite teammate?
Rashard Lewis: I had a couple of favorite teammates but I would probably have to say Ray Allen. I played with him when I was with the Seattle Supersonics. He taught me a lot when I was a young kid and I made it to my first All-Star game playing with him. Not just that, I also won my NBA championship with him during the end of our careers, when we were with the Miami Heat. He was one of my best guys.
Q: How was the experience playing under Erik Spoelstra in Miami?
Rashard Lewis: I had a great experience playing under Erik Spoelstra in Miami. I think he is a great coach and the atmosphere under Pat Riley was great. He passed the blueprint onto Erik and he is a type of coach who understands his players and knows how to read them. Erik gets the best output out of everyone that comes to the program.
Q: What is something you miss the most now that you don’t play anymore?
Rashard Lewis: I would probably say traveling on the road and hanging out with my teammates, going out for movies and to eat, being on the bus, playing cards on the plane and cracking jokes in the locker room after the games. I miss all those little things and even though I love the game of basketball and competing, it is those little things that make me enjoy the game of basketball.
Catch NBA Live on Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures India is the official broadcaster of NBA in India.