After going nearly 20 years without a single first-round draft pick, Alabama may soon have its second first-round pick in the last three years.

Crimson Tide coaches have been getting favorable feedback from NBA scouts on sophomore point guard Kira Lewis, enough so that Nate Oats believes Lewis — who just turned 18 in April — could be in position to turn pro after the season.

“They’re definitely interested (in him),” Oats said. “… They’re all kind of wait-and-see. Offensively, he’s got decent size at about 6-3 and his speed and his skill level and he can pass, dribble and shoot. They’re very intrigued because he’s so young.”

There have plenty of NBA eyes on Lewis in recent months.

Twelve NBA teams had representatives at Alabama’s game against Rhode Island on Friday. In addition, more than half of the NBA teams have had scouts in attendance for a Tide practice, according to Oats.

Thus far, the feedback Oats has been getting on Lewis is “some early second (round), maybe late first.”

“They want to see how good he’s getting defensively,” Oats said. “Then, I think some of it is how good your team’s going to be. The better our team gets, the more his stock goes up, too. Can he lead a team? Can he guard point guards at that level? That’s some of the stuff they’re looking for. And I think he’s trying to get better at all that. I think if he continues to come, I think he may be there. He’s pretty talented.”

Lewis is second in the SEC in scoring through three games with an average of 22.3 points per game.

The Meridianville native is also ranked sixth among SEC players in assists (5.7 per game) and is fifth among SEC guards in rebounding (6.3 per game).

While Alabama lost the game against Rhode Island, Lewis — in front of those 12 teams — posted a team-high 21 points, was 8 for 13 from the field and also recorded five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

“If he can get himself into the first, then he’s most likely going to be gone,” Oats said. “We’d encourage him to do what’s best for him and his family and this program will be alright. But we’re going to try to make him as good as he can possibly get here while we’ve got him this year and then kind of tackle that once it comes in the spring.”

Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.