Lew Massey
Lawrence "Lew" Massey (February 16, 1956 – January 23, 2014) was an American professional basketball player.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 16, 1956 Pineville, North Carolina |
| Died | January 23, 2014 (aged 57) Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | South Mecklenburg (Charlotte, North Carolina) |
| College | Charlotte (1974–1978) |
| NBA draft | 1978 / Round: 2 / Pick: 38th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Position | Forward Shooting guard |
| Number | 23 |
| Career history | |
| 1978–1979 | Maine Lumberjacks |
| 1979–1980 | Lehigh Valley Jets |
| 1981 | Presto Fun Drinks |
| 1982–1983 | Gilbey's Gin |
Often called "Sweet Lew", the prolific Machine Gun from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte led the 49ers to the National Invitation Tournament finals in 1976, along with teammate Cedric Maxwell, and the NCAA semifinals the following year. Massey was selected on the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1978 NBA Draft. He was cut by the Lakers along with co-LA draftee and former Toyota import Carlos Terry, a month away from the 1978-79 NBA regular season opener. He saw action in the Continental Basketball Association for two campaigns and left America thereafter to seek fame and fortune in the Venenzuelan and Swiss semi-pro circuits.
PBA stint
Massey went to the Philippines to play for Presto in the Philippine Basketball Association in 1981, the following year, he signed up with Gilbey's Gin and rewarded the team to a second-place finish in the third conference, his 47-game stint with Gilbey's was one of the worthiest in PBA annals, averaging 46.6 points an outing. He established an all-time PBA mark for most points in one game at that time, hitting 85 points on March 25, 1982, in Gilbey's 123-126 elimination round loss to Crispa.