Commissioner’s Board of Advisors
Bennie J. Lewis, Jr.
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Bennie Lewis graduated from Lincoln High School in East St. Louis, IL. His many academic honors include membership in the National Honor Society and Who’s Who Among High School Students of America. He also earned All City, All Metro and All American honors in basketball.
After graduating from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville with a degree in education Mr. Lewis competed professionally in Australia for 10 years. When he retired he was ranked on the NBL all-time list for scoring, assists and steals and was honored in Australia’s 50 Greatest Player Club. His many awards included Team MVP, League Runner-Up MVP, and NBL All-Star. Bennie continued his career in Australia as a coach and administrator for men and women professional teams, youth development programs and he was the Special Training Coach for the Australian Wheel Chair Olympic Team. Bennie was inducted into the Coburg Basketball Association Hall of Fame (Melbourne, Australia) Class of 2018.
Mr. Lewis returned to the United States and for three years served as Coordinator of Promotions & Marketing for Athletics at Indiana University – Purdue University, Ft. Wayne. He also served as Assistant Executive Director/Resource Development Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He then worked for 17 years for Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation. Among his many duties and accomplishments while with the parks district, he was the lead advisor for the $6 million conversion project turning the McMillen Ice Arena into the McMillen Community Center and his teams won two AAU national championships, and were runners up twice. Many of the youth participants in the programs run by Mr. Lewis have gone on to college, overseas and even NBA careers.
Since 2014 Mr Lewis has served as Owner/GM of the Fort Wayne Flite of the Central Basketball Association with 6 Final Four Appearances, advancing to the Finals 5 times with 3 Championships. In 2016, Bennie founded Flite Basketball Consulting and serves as the Head Consultant and Adviser. He has worked with NBA Combines, NBA G-League, Jr NBA, Windy City Bulls, Ft Wayne Mad Ants, The Basketball Tournament, The Midwest Professional Basketball Association and The Basketball League.
Preston Thomas
St. Louis
Preston Rockne Thomas is a Gary, Indiana native who now resides in Florissant, Missouri. He was an Indiana All State Football Honorable Mention as a senior. Thomas credits his understanding of basketball to former Western Michigan University coach Eldon Miller.
Mr. Thomas began his high school coaching career at Cardinal Ritter College Prep in 1982. While at Ritter he compiled a record of 317 – 162 and won three Class 2A State Championships, seven District Championships, and fourteen Conference titles. During his tenure Thomas coached seven all state players, four USA Top 40 Basketball All Americans, one McDonald’s All American, 1 future NCAA First Team All American, three NBA draftees and multiple European professionals. He also won two Class 2A State Track Championships and coached two USA Track and Field All Americans and a two time USA Olympic qualifier. Also while at Ritter Thomas served for 15 years in Athletic and Activity Administration.
Preston was head coach for one of the Harlem Globetrotter competitive and show teams and also coached at St. Louis Community College – Forest Park (NJCAA) for 10 years compiling a record of 180 – 147. During this time he coached fourteen First Team All Conference selections, and two NJCAA All American players. He won a Region 16 NJCAA Championship, the first in the school’s history.
On the professional level, Preston has worked with NBA coaches Bernie Bickerstaff, Lionell Hollins, and Al Gentry. He coached the St. Louis Steam (MPBA) and in 2018 accepted a position as Regional Director for the Midwest Professional Basketball Association.
In 2017 Mr. Thomas was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.