Five-star, top California prospect Jalen Lewis signs with Overtime Elite
ATLANTA (July 9, 2021) – OTE (Overtime Elite) announced today that versatile big Jalen Lewis has signed with the transformative new league and will be part of its inaugural season this September.
(Editor's Note: Read our Spencer Davies' exclusive interview with Aaron Ryan and Brandon Williams, and an extensive profile on Overtime Elite here.)
Lewis is a 6-foot-10-inch, 220-pound forward/center who played for Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, California). A consensus 5-star recruit, Lewis averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore. Lewis also developed through travel basketball with the Oakland Rebels, Team Lillard and Team WhyNot. This past spring, he was a stand out at USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team minicamp in Houston, TX and will look to make the roster for the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in August.
“Jalen is one of the most exciting young talents in the country, and we are humbled that he has chosen Overtime Elite to elevate his professional development on the court and academically, while building his brand internationally,” said Brandon Williams, OTE EVP, Head of Basketball Operations. “This is a foundational signing for our league and another acknowledgment of the need and desire for our program.”
“I’d describe Jalen as an absolute difference maker, a rare talent, with a combination of size, athleticism, good hands and ball skills that impact plays on both ends of the court,” said Kevin Ollie, OTE’s Head Coach and Director of Player Development. “There are no limitations to what he’ll be able to do in his career and through Overtime Elite, he’ll have the resources in place to help him reach his dreams.”
Lewis is the 10th player to join OTE. The league signed top-rated guards Amen and Ausar Thompson and forwards Matt Bewley and Ryan Bewley. OTE has signed international players, Dominican point guard Jean Montero, French forward Alexandre Sarr, and Belgian wing Nathan Missia-Dio. Emmanuel Maldonado from Puerto Rico and Jai Smith from North Carolina have also signed with OTE. The league expects to make additional player announcements in the coming weeks.
OTE provides a comprehensive accelerator for elite players’ professional careers. The league, a division of next-generation sports brand Overtime, offers a year-round development program combining world-class coaching, cutting-edge sports science and performance technologies, top-notch facilities, and a rigorous, highly personalized academic program that energizes and enhances each athlete’s journey.
Every OTE player will earn a six-figure salary, with a guaranteed minimum salary of at least $100,000 per year, plus bonuses and shares of equity in Overtime. In addition, players will participate in revenue from use of their name, image and likeness, including through sales of custom jerseys, trading cards, video games and NFTs.
About OTE
OTE (Overtime Elite) is a transformative new sports league that offers the world’s most talented young basketball players a better pathway to becoming professional athletes, while engaging and inspiring a new community of digitally native fans.
OTE (pronounced Oh-Tee-E) provides a comprehensive accelerator for elite players’ professional careers. The league offers a year-round development program combining world-class coaching, cutting-edge sports science and performance technologies, top-notch facilities, and a rigorous, highly personalized academic program that energizes and enhances each athlete’s journey from proficiency to pro.