Rashard Lewis decided to pursue an NBA career straight out of high school. He was not a highly-rated player when he came into the league, but he would become one of the best shooters in the league.

Throughout his career, Lewis also made a lot of money. He went from being drafted in the second round to earning over $100 million during his basketball career.

Rashard Lewis’ early years in the NBA

Lewis decided to skip college a go to the NBA. As a senior in high school, he was named USA Mr. Basketball. During the 1998 NBA draft, the Seattle SuperSonics selected him in the second round with the 32nd pick. Lewis did not see much playing time as a rookie. He only played in 20 games and averaged 2.4 points per game.

In his second season, he saw a lot more playing time with the SuperSonics. He played in all 82 games, mostly coming off the bench and averaged 8.2 points per game. The 6-foot-10 forward would become a starter in Seattle in his third year, and he saw his numbers improve significantly. He averaged 14.8 points per game and shot 42 percent from behind the arc. Lewis started to establish himself as a top 3-point shooter in the league. He had a quick release, and at his height, it was difficult for defenders to contest his shot.

In 2001 he was selected to play for the United States in the Goodwill Games, and they won a gold medal. Lewis continued to improve and establish himself as a top player in the league throughout his time in Seattle. During the 2004-05 season, Lewis was named to his first all-star team. That season he averaged 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. During the 2006-07 season, that was his final season in Seattle, and he set the record for most career 3-pointers made with 918. Lewis became one of the top players in Seattle, and he was a fan favorite.

Rashard Lewis’ career after playing in Seattle

Lewis spent his first nine seasons in the NBA playing for the SuperSonics. After his time in Seattle, Lewis signed with the Orlando Magic in July of 2007. The success continued for Lewis when he was in Orlando. He moved to the power forward position and continued to be a high-volume 3-point shooter. In his first season with the Magic, he averaged 18.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

The next season Lewis would play in his first NBA championship as the Magic took on the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers defeated the Magic 4-1, and Lewis was the second-leading scorer on the Magic in the finals averaging 17.4 points per game. That season he was also named to his second all-star team.

After playing in the NBA finals, Lewis spent two more seasons in Orlando, and then he was traded to the Washington Wizards. He spent two seasons with the Wizards and averaged 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game over those two seasons. After playing for the Wizards, Lewis ended his career playing for the Miami Heat. In his first season playing in Miami during the 2012-13 season, Lewis won his first NBA championship. He played more of a reserve role in Miami as they had a loaded squad filled with talent. In his final season in the league, he played in 60 regular-season games and averaged 4.5 points per game.

Rashard Lewis became a millionaire during his NBA career

Lewis earned a lot of money as an NBA player. Who would have thought that this second-round draft pick would become one of the highest-paid players in NBA history? According to hoopshype.com, Lewis made $155,332,815 throughout his NBA career. After his first two seasons playing in Seattle, the team realized how good of a player he could become and started to pay him a lot more money.

When he joined the Magic, he agreed to a deal that was worth $118 million. Throughout his career, Lewis averaged 14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and shot over 35 percent from behind the arc. He currently is 19th on the all-time list for most 3-pointers made with 1,787. When he was playing, there weren’t any other players at his size who could shoot from long-range as he could, and that’s something that helped him make a lot of money throughout his career.