Southwestern Oklahoma State Athletics

Lewis, a native of Boyd, Texas, was a dominating basketball player for the Bulldogs in the early days from 1923-1927. Upon graduating from SWOSU, Lewis went on to play for the AAU Phillips 66 Oilers for four years and won two AAU Championships with the Oilers in 1940 and 1946. He then spent from 1946-1949 playing in the Basketball Association of America for the Detroit Falcons, St. Louis Bombers and Baltimore Bullets. In 1948, helped Baltimore win a national championship in a season where he averaged 4.4 points per game as a center.

Upon retirement from playing, Lewis returned to St. Louis to take over coaching duties for the 1948-49 and 1949-50 seasons. He posted a 55-73 record as the head coach, qualifying the Bombers for the playoffs in his first season.