Krystian Lewis transfers from UL-Monroe to Tulane basketball program
Tulane University basketball has added point guard Krystian Lewis from UL-Monroe, bringing a high-volume free-throw shooter who averaged team highs of 18.4 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals last season to the Green Wave program. Lewis chose Tulane over several other options in the transfer portal, drawn to the university’s location, basketball history, and coaching staff.
Transfer Decision Rooted in Louisiana History
Lewis, a 6-foot-2 third-year point guard from Monroe, pointed to the Devlin Fieldhouse rafters as a key factor in his commitment. A banner commemorates Tulane Hall of Famer Anthony Reed, a fellow Wossman High School alumnus who scored 1,896 points from 1989 to 1993 during the Green Wave’s first two NCAA tournament appearances. The program also features new assistant coach Kim Lewis, an Angie native, Tulane Hall of Fame member, and former teammate of Reed.
“Just to be a guy from Louisiana playing at a Louisiana university is big for me,” Krystian Lewis said, according to source reporting. “I want to put on for the state and be a voice. I could have gone anywhere, but you don’t have to go off to some crazy (out of state) university. You can make it happen right here.”
Scoring Profile and Free-Throw Prowess
While Tulane coach Ron Hunter actively recruited high-percentage 3-point shooters to fix long-range scoring struggles from the previous season, Lewis brings a different offensive skill set. He ranked 15th nationally in free-throw makes with 195 and 27th in attempts with 232 last season at UL-Monroe.
“It is a huge skill to be able to go and get fouled,” Lewis said. “If you know that one of your biggest strengths is shooting a free throw, then why not try to get to that shot? That’s a huge part of my game and a huge asset to the way I play.”
Lewis models that aspect of his game after NBA player Shay Gilgeous-Alexander. That ability to draw fouls helped him finish third in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring, despite shooting 31.5% from 3-point range on 197 attempts and 36.2% overall from the floor. Hunter has quickly embraced the guard’s competitive style.
“He’s my kind of a guy,” Hunter said. “He plays with a chip on his shoulder. I love having him around. He’s one of those talkative kids, so he’s got that Ron Hunter personality. We go at it all the time.”
Roster Integration and Next Steps for Tulane
Tulane finished 11th in the American Conference in 3-point shooting last season during an 18-15 campaign impacted by the late-summer drowning death of starting center Gregg Glenn. To address perimeter shooting, the Green Wave added three newcomers who shot above 40% from deep: TJ Nadeau from Detroit Mercy (46.7%), Ryan Blount from Division II Tampa (41%), and Carson Schwieger from Queens University (40.9%).
Lewis is working in the weight room to add size and speed to prepare for the physical step up from the Sun Belt to the American Conference. Beyond scoring, he aims to utilize the new perimeter threats to expand his role as a distributor.
“Learning to be more efficient is what I’m trying to change,” Lewis said. “The level of physicality is going to change drastically from the Sun Belt to here, so they’ve been pushing me in the weight room to get bigger and faster and more explosive. Every time I step on the court, I want to make sure my level of intensity is matched with everybody else.”