New Orleans Pelicans: Mike Conley is the model for Kira Lewis Jr. to study

Kira Lewis Jr. had a solid rookie season for the New Orleans Pelicans that showed a lot of potential.

Lewis Jr. is only 6-foot-1, 170 lbs. but he can fly, which he showed off many times this season, blowing by defenders like they were in slow motion.

He also showed the ability to take care of the ball, as he had a nearly 4:1 assist to turnover ration, which is outstanding for a rookie, especially when you consider he had little offseason to prepare and few practices to work on things during the season.

He was also better than advertised defensively, and had a knack for getting into passing lanes for steals.

Kira still needs to improve in a lot of areas, especially finishing, as he was very good at getting into the lane but not so good at knocking down the shots once he did.

One way to get better is by studying other players, and Kira Lewis Jr. should be watching plenty of film of Mike Conley this offseason.

New Orleans Pelicans: Kira Lewis Jr. needs to study Mike Conley

Pelicans’ fans are well familiar with Mike Conley, as he spent most of his career with division-rival Memphis.

Conley, like Lewis Jr. is a small but lightning quick point guard who struggled shooting early in his career but just kept evolving and getting better.

Conley is not as quick as he once was, but Kira Lewis Jr. could learn a lot from how his game has evolved to accommodate his changing body.

Conley is now more patient, he’s a better shooter and a smarter defender who picks his spots, knows where he is supposed to be and doesn’t take risks.

If Kira Lewis Jr. can pick up some of these traits, he can make a big leap in his second season with a whole offseason to prepare and work on his game.

Mike Conley overcame his lack of size to become a very good point guard and eventually an All-Star, progression that Kira Lewis Jr. can start to make next season.