Benny Lewis played 250 games in the NBL and was one of the most potent scorers of the 1980s. He arrived in the NBL in 1981 for Illawarra and averaged 20.5 points per game, he then played the majority of his career with the Coburg Giants before they moved to North Melbourne. His best season coming in 1984 when he averaged 31 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and he continued to light up the league until 1990 averaging 23 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for his career.
He joins the podcast to talk about the current state of the NBL, his time playing in college and what it was like to play in Australia during the NBL's "tin shed era".
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Topics discussed on the podcast include;
Thoughts on the current NBL product (1:30)
RJ Hampton chosing New Zealand over the NCAA (7:00)
Why he chose to create the Central Basketball Association and running the Fort Wayne Flite (9:00)
Stops at North Carolina State and Tennessee State (16:00)
How he was found his way to Australia and the huge impact of St Kilda's Rocky Smith on NBL basketball in the 1980s (19:00)
Why Melbourne has always developed the best basketball players (23:00)
Which team was better in the 1980s... Adelaide, Brisbane or Canberra? (26:00)
His career playing for Illawarra, Coburg, St Kilda, North Melbourne and South Melbourne (30:00)
What is was like playing in the NBL during the "tin shed era" (42:00)
Career highlights, toughest opponents and biggest hurdles during his NBL career (101:00)
All of this and a whole lot more...
Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;
Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley
Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon
Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole
NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti
Aussie Basketballers Abroad - Ryan Broekhoff, Brock Motum, Jack White, Ben Madgen, Clint Stiendl, Ater Majok, Rhys Carter, Clint Stiendl
The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Terry Dozier, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry
And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner
All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at info@aussiehoopla.com
