Q&A: Trey Lewis on his transfer to U of L

Cleveland State guard Trey Lewis announced Tuesday that he would be transferring to the University of Louisville for his senior year, an important addition to the Cardinals' backcourt on a roster of almost entirely underclassmen. Lewis spoke with The Courier-Journal about his decision in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Congrats on your commitment.

Thank you. I'm so excited right now.

Why was Louisville the best choice for you?

After coming down and visiting with Coach (Rick) Pitino, he shared with me his plan for me, and he expressed how much he wanted me and not only wanted me but needed me. I had a lot of schools come after me, a lot of schools wanted me. But I just feel like Louisville is the right fit for me, and that's what I was looking for for my last year.

What was the plan Pitino explained to you?

He knows I'm a senior coming in, and he said he doesn't have a senior on his team and he needs leadership and he wants me to come in and lead his team. That's what I want to do. He knows what I can bring to the table. He expressed to me with Louisville losing a great deal of our scoring, he wants me to come in and score the ball and make plays for my teammates.

Which position do you expect to play?

Point guard. That's what he told me he wants me to play.

How much did you look at what Louisville had coming back or the freshmen it had coming in? And what did Pitino say about that and the needs they had there?

Definitely that played a big part in it. When I went on my visit, I had a chance to meet the guys, watched them work out. I really feel like we're going to have a really great team coming in. I had a chance to look up and do my research on the guys we've got coming in, and we'll be a really solid team. We're a young team, but that's why he wants a senior guard to come in and be able to help those guys along the way. I know he's going after or looking for another player to come in here, too. So I'm excited to see how it all works out.

Explain why you wanted to transfer and what you think of having the opportunity come along to play for probably a top-10 program.

I committed to the Big Ten (signing with Penn State) coming out of high school, and I just always felt like that opportunity to play against the best competition night in and night out was taken away from me because things didn't really work out there. Coming back to Cleveland was actually the best thing that happened in my career, being able to come home and play in front of my hometown. Cleveland State really prepared me for this moment. Coach (Gary) Waters did a great job of taking me back in. That program means a lot to me, so it was a hard decision to leave. But what it came down was for my last year I really wanted to put myself in the position to play against the best, compete night in and out with the best. And I feel like I owed it to myself, how hard I worked and how much time I put in to this game, I want be able to play on this level. When I came down to Louisville (last season) when Cleveland State played Louisville, I got a chance to show I belonged on this level. I just want for my senior year to play against the best competition, and my dream has always been to go to a Final Four, take a team to a Final Four. And when this situation opened up the way it did, I've got to thank God because he opened this door for me.

What did you take away from you experience when you played Louisville? The team did not play well, but you played very well individually and Coach Pitino was very complimentary of you afterward.

It was exciting. First of all, the atmosphere was electric. I've never been a part of such dedicated fans, loyal fans. It was an unbelievable atmosphere coming into the (KFC) Yum! Center. I just felt really good being in that place, and I knew I was going to perform well that night. I love big games. I love big stages, so it was an exciting time. After the game, hearing Coach Pitino's comments, I knew I'd earned his respect, earned the city of Louisville's respect as well.

What were the final schools you came down?

It was unbelievable how many schools came after me, considered me, and I've got to thank them for coming after me. It was really tough. I came down really to Louisville, Ohio State, Xavier, UConn was reaching out for me, Memphis, Arizona, Georgetown. But I kind of narrowed it down at the very end to Louisville and Ohio State pretty much.

How did you end up at Cleveland State from Penn State?

I was recruited by Coach (Ed) DeChellis, and once I was actually committed to Penn State, he ended up leaving and getting a new job. I got there with a new coach who – we basically just didn't see eye to eye. He wanted to get his own players because I wasn't really recruited by him, and it just didn't work out there. But that opened the door for me to come back home. And I got a chance to play against really good competition.

What did Coach Pitino say about your game that made you a good fit?

I think they struggled a lot from shooting last year, from the 3-point line last year. So I know that was a great need coming in. I shoot the ball fairly well. I know he wants me to score. He wants me to be who I am. He doesn't want me to change up who I am. He wants me to take on a greater role, and that is to lead a team. So it's not just about scoring. It's about being an all-around point guard, knowing the time and situation and doing whatever the game asks me to do. But I know he wants me to be who I am, and that's who I expect to be.

Are you friends with Terry Rozier from Cleveland?

Yeah, Terry is really cool. I got a chance to talk to him during this whole process, and he told me a lot about what it's like to be coached by Coach Pitino and their staff. It's a great staff, and the development is unbelievable. That's what I'm most excited about it is getting down there and getting ready to work. I know they are going to push me every day.

What did Terry tell you?

That Coach is going to really push me. He's going to every day expect greatness from me. He's going to be on me a lot as far as helping develop me to play at the next level. I'm just excited to go down and listen to what he has to tell me because he has a track record that's proven. You just follow what he says, you're going to have success.

When will you get to Louisville?

I will graduate, and I haven't had a chance to talk to Coach about when he wants me there. But I want to get there as soon as possible and start building chemistry with the guys and getting in that locker room and start working out.

Do you know which graduate program you will study at U of L?

We're looking into that know. I haven't decided exactly which master's degree I'm going to go after. I'm focused right now on graduating. I graduate May 9, so I have to finish strong academically here. The most important thing is and the part I'm most excited about is graduating from Cleveland State and getting my undergrad degree here at Cleveland State. I'm focused on that right now.

What all do you hope to get out your one year at Louisville as you go in knowing it's a one-year stay?

All my dreams to come true. That's what I pray. I'm going to go there, and I expect to work really hard, and I expect to take this team to a championship. I mean, that's what Coach expects, and he's going to push me to do that every day. That's what I want to do. I've always dreamed about being in that Final Four, and if we do everything the right way, we'll have a good chance.

Do you think playing at Louisville will increase your pro prospects?

Yeah, that's a factor in why I wanted to play on this level because night in, night out you're playing with the best competition, and you're getting seen across the world. That's what I'm most excited about. I believe I belong on this level, and I'm looking for the opportunity to show that and prove that and I think everything is going to take care of itself.

What do you think about the rise in the level of competition vs. what you've been playing against at Cleveland State? Do you feel like you've proven yourself enough against high-major teams?

I believe so, and Coach Pitino definitely believes so. That's why he wants me to lead this team against those guys. I absolutely believe I belong here, and I'm looking forward to showing that. That's why I'm in the gym right now. It's going to be a process.

Has Coach already said he wants you be a captain?

Yes, he wants me and Mangok (Mathiang) to lead this team. That's his plans for us. That's asking for a lot, and that's a different situation. As a player, you're coming into a team, and first, you have to earn the trust of these guys. There's not going to be anything given to me, and I don't expect that or want anything given to me. I just think they've given me an opportunity, and that's all I need. I want to come here, work hard and earn the trust of the guys. That's what I'm all about. I know this game is about relationships as much as anything. You see the greatest teams have the greatest relationships, and that's what I'm looking forward to doing. I want to get down early with these guys, so I don't have that much time. I want them to know my mind-set coming in is to just help this team reach its height. It's not just focused on me. I don't want all this attention to be about me coming to Louisville. I want the attention to be on this great group of guys I'm a part of. That's what I'm excited about, being a part of a great culture that's already established. I've never been a part of anything like this in my life. It's going to be a different experience for me.

What do you think about playing with Quentin Snider?

I think he's a great guard. I got to watch him a lot on film. He's a great guard, really skilled. I'm looking forward to getting in the backcourt with him.

The way I've thought of Louisville's guards – Russ Smith and Peyton Siva, then Russ and Terry – that there are kind of two lead guards, whoever gets the ball brings the ball up on the break. Is that the way Coach described it if you were to play with Quentin?

Yeah, he talked about that. He has two guards that handle the ball for him, and I'm completely fine with that. The way he expressed it to me was that he wants the ball in my hands to make decisions, and that's what it comes down to, making decisions with the ball in your hands, making plays for your teammates, coming off pick and rolls. That's what he wants me to do.

What are your impressions of getting to meet Coach Pitino and having a national champion coach, Hall of Fame coach break things down for you?

I didn't know what to expect from Coach Pitino or how he was going to be, but meeting him, it was just like a breath of fresh air. He was so welcoming, and I never met a man with so much charisma. He's just a really cool guy, really cool to be around. He just makes you want to win by being in his presence. That was the biggest thing of why I wanted to be a part of this. I could just really see myself learning a lot from this man, and not just about basketball. We talked about a variety of things. I'm excited to get down here and just learn from him. And then in basketball, there's nobody better. He's a Hall of Fame coach, legendary. This is who I want to be under for my last year of college basketball.

Last thing, I'm very excited about the fans of Louisville and Card Nation. They've been hitting me up on Twitter, and trust me, I've been reading. I don't respond too much, but I read a lot, and I feel the same way. It's mutual feelings toward the fan base, and I'm ecstatic to get down there.