4-Star PG Acaden Lewis Details Kentucky Official Visit as Decision Nears
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Acaden Lewis got the full-court press from the Kentucky staff while on his official visit over the weekend. The four-star guard was the only 2025 prospect to visit for Big Blue Madness and UK set their sights on closing with him.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound point guard from Sidwell Friends School (Washington, DC) told KSR+ that he arrived for his visit on Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, he was in the practice gym getting up shots.
“It was cool watching film with the team and seeing the things they thought I had to work on, things I’m good at, and where they see me fitting at Kentucky,” Lewis said. “It was a good visit. I appreciated the individuality that they put into the visit.”
Lewis got to spend time with the entire staff on his visit. What impressed him was the vast knowledge and experience of the different coaches.
“They’re great people and really genuine,” he said. “They have a lot of knowledge with Coach [Alvin] Brooks and Coach [Jason] Hart, who have had a lot of great guards in the past. [Mark] Pope is a super cool dude. I met his wife and everyone. It’s a great staff and a great environment.”
Seeing the Vision at Practice
Acaden Lewis saw Kentucky for an unofficial visit over the summer but wasn’t able to see a practice due to a flight delay. Seeing practices first-hand was a pressing question he had heading into his official visit.
“I wanted to see how practice looked, what the intensity was like, and how Coach Pope coaches during his practices,” Lewis said. “[I see myself] as a really big contributor. I think I can really run this team. I’m pretty good with coaches who have a good connection with their point guard. I feel like we have a good connection. I’m smart and he’s smart. I feel like I’d be a really good point guard to run this offense.”
Lewis had many of his questions answered throughout the visit. Those included who’s coming back in 2025, what Kentucky is looking for in the transfer portal, who else UK wants in the 2025 class, and how Mark Pope sees him and Jasper Johnson fitting.
“Just talking basketball, watching film, and asking tough questions, it was a good response,” Lewis said. “I was happy to hear he was honest with me, even if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear sometimes. They were good talks.”
Lewis also got to speak with Kentucky 2025 four-star center commit Malachi Moreno on the visit. Moreno missed Big Blue Madness due to a USA Basketball Camp but did have a few minutes to talk with Lewis.
“It’s similar to what Jasper says. They want me to come,” Lewis said. “I’ve already played with Malachi, so we’re pretty cool as well. We talk a little bit here and there. He wants me to come as well. I’ve been his point guard before and we work really well together.”
The Big Blue Madness Experience
Acaden Lewis has spent the last few weeks visiting his finalists. He was at UConn from Sept. 20-22 and then visited Duke for Countdown to Craziness on Oct. 4. This time, he got to take in Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness.
“The environment was really cool,” Lewis said. “You could see how fans really take Kentucky Basketball super seriously. I try not to think too much about those and what it showcases, but the environment was cool.”
Lewis said his father is close with one of the coaches at St. John’s, so Rick Pitino’s appearance didn’t come as a big surprise. He said the appearance was “still really cool.”
“I kind of knew he was doing that already,” he said. “He got a good standing ovation.”
What’s Next?
Acaden Lewis has been very calculated with his recruitment, planning to take official visits in the fall and commit before the early signing period. That hasn’t changed.
“Early November, I’ll be committing,” he said. “Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll just talk with my family, and figure out which school I really want to go to out of my three.”
When looking at his final three, Lewis is paying attention to who’s coming back, who’s already there, his path to playing time, who each school is still pursuing, and his relationship with the coaching staff.
“That’ll all be important,” he said.
A Potential Package Deal?
Acaden Lewis and Caleb Wilson have the college basketball world in a frenzy. Lewis and Wilson, a five-star forward out of Georgia, have constantly teased each other on social media with plans of playing together.
Wilson took his official visit to Kentucky in September, while North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and others remain in pursuit. So, what does Lewis have to say about his relationship with Wilson?
“We just talk a lot, honestly, not about basketball,” Lewis said. “We talk about anything, to be honest. We have talked about going to school together. He wants to play with me and I want to play with him.”
However, Lewis did temper some expectations with a package deal. Wilson still has more official visits to take, starting with Georgia Tech from Oct. 18-20.
“It would be super cool, but I wouldn’t take too much of that super seriously right now because he hasn’t put out a commitment date,” Lewis said. “He still has visits and everything. It would definitely be super cool, but none of it has too much truth to it right now because obviously neither of us are committed. He’s definitely one of my better friends and we definitely want to play together in college.”
Wilson is the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. He’s ranked by On3 as the No. 3 power forward and the No. 6 player nationally.
“[Caleb] is smart and he’s an intelligent dude who understands basketball, spacing, and stuff like that,” Lewis said. “He’s a capable shooter, super athlete, can switch, and he’s super versatile. He’s just a guy you’d want on your team and someone you don’t want to play against.”
Acaden Lewis’ Game
Four-star point guard Acaden Lewis of Sidwell Friends (DC) School is the nation’s No. 30 overall prospect, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3 ranks Lewis as the No. 55 player overall, the No. 8-ranked point guard, and the top overall player in D.C.
“I’m creative and I add a spark to the game,” Lewis said. “I’m a good playmaker, get others involved, and find holes for myself to score.”
Lewis holds his basketball IQ in high regard. He sees the game as more than just the players on the court.
“I try to play against the other coach, not the other players,” he said. “If I do that, then obviously I’ll do better than the players on the court. I try to think about the game at the highest level I can.”
Heading into his senior season, Lewis wants to improve his shooting consistency. He saw his three-point percentage drop off while at Peach Jam, especially off the dribble.
“I want to pick that up for sure,” Lewis said. “Defensively, I need to stay locked in off-ball. I’ve done a good job of being a pest on the ball. Off the ball, I want to be better.”
Lewis also wants to rebound better. That can help lead to fast breaks.
“The best thing I probably did all summer was just being consistent no matter where I went,” he said. “I played well, talked, and was a leader. Whether it was at Formula Zero with college kids or high school CP3, I always found a way to stand out. I want to keep being consistent and playing well.”
