Film Analysis: What to expect from new Miami guard Acaden Lewis

Former Villanova guard Acaden Lewis committed to Miami on Tuesday, joining center Somto Cyril as the second player to transfer to the Hurricanes so far this offseason. Lewis has three years of college eligibility remaining as he looks to build off a successful freshman season with the Wildcats.

Lewis might be a familiar name to those who follow the Hurricanes’ high school recruiting efforts. He took an official visit to Miami in April 2025 before eventually committing to Villanova. After watching him take home All-Big East Second Team honors this past year, it comes as no surprise that UM head coach Jai Lucas recruited him a second time once he entered the transfer portal.

Lewis took on a heavy-usage offensive role in his lone season at Villanova. He helped lead the Wildcats to their first NCAA tournament berth since 2022 and also proved himself as both a scoring and passing threat, averaging 12.2 points and 5.3 assists per game.

As a scorer, Lewis is at his best when driving to the basket. Lewis is more of a crafty finisher rather than an above-the-rim athlete. He’s able to generate plenty of paint touches because of his ability to change speeds with the ball in his hands.

His shooting numbers, however, will have to improve. Lewis shot a respectable 45.6% from the field but just 27% from deep and 58.3% from the free-throw line.

Miami Hurricanes basketball portal headquarters

Maybe Lewis will find his shooting groove in 2026–27? It’s not like he’s always been a low-volume, subpar shooter – Lewis attempted over seven threes per game on the EYBL 17U Circuit and shot 83% from the charity stripe during his junior year of high school.

As for his playmaking, Lewis is borderline elite. Not only was he second in the Big East last year in assists per game; he also held a team-best assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.5. This shows that he can set his teammates up with scoring opportunities without being careless with the ball.

Defensively, Lewis is frisky at the point of attack and adept at reading passing lanes. He averaged a team-high 1.9 steals – a mark that was also good for fifth in the conference. His ability to turn defense into offense is a perfect fit for Lucas’ Hurricanes, who like to push the pace and attack opposing teams in transition.

CaneSport’s Take

Lewis, ranked as the fifth-best point guard and No. 32 overall player in the portal, is a home run addition for Miami. If he and likely starter Dante Allen can both improve as shooters, they’ll form one of the top backcourts in the ACC.