Lee Hyun-jung (basketball) explained

Lee Hyun-jung (basketball) should not be confused with Lee Jung-hyun (basketball).

Lee Hyun-jung
Position:Shooting guard / small forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:7
Weight Lb:210
League:NBL
Team:Illawarra Hawks
Number:2
Birth Date:23 October 2000
Birth Place:Seongnam, South Korea
High School:
College:Davidson (2019–2022)
Draftyear:2022
Career Start:2018
Years1:2018–2019
Team1:BA Centre of Excellence
Years2:2023
Team2:Santa Cruz Warriors
Years3:2023–present
Team3:Illawarra Hawks
Highlights:
  • First-team All-Atlantic 10 (2022)
  • Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team (2020)

Lee Hyun-jung (born October 23, 2000) is a South Korean professional basketball player for the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Davidson Wildcats of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10).

Early life and career

Lee attended Samil Commercial School in Suwon, where he played basketball under the coaching of his father.[1] In middle school, Lee was only 170cm (70inches) and played as a guard, as he practiced dribbling and mid-range shooting. By the end of his middle school years, Lee grew to over 190cm (80inches). He played as a center during defense and a guard during the offense.[2] He modeled his game after Klay Thompson.[3]

In 2018, Lee enrolled at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia.[4] While at the academy, he played for the BA Centre of Excellence in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) in 2018 and then the NBL1 in 2019.[5] In conjunction with the NBA Global Academy and the Centre of Excellence, he attended Lake Ginninderra Secondary College,[6] where he learned to speak English.[4]

Lee committed to playing college basketball for Davidson over an offer from Washington State. He drew the attention of head coach Bob McKillop and his staff at a Basketball Without Borders event.[4] He would become the fourth player and the second men's player from South Korea to play NCAA Division I basketball.[7]

College career

As a freshman with the Davidson Wildcats in 2019–20, Lee appeared in 28 games off the bench and finished seventh among A-10 first-year players in scoring, averaging 8.4 points per game.[6] On February 7, 2020, he scored a season-high 20 points in a 73–62 loss to VCU.[8] He was subsequently named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.[6] [9]

As a sophomore in 2020–21, Lee started all 22 games and finished second on the team in scoring and assists. He became the first-ever Wildcat to conclude the season shooting at least 50 percent overall, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line. He twice scored a season-high 23 points.[6] He averaged 13.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.[6]

As a junior in 2021–22, Lee played in 34 games and made 33 starts, averaging 15.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.[6] On December 1, 2021, he recorded a career-high 32 points and 14 rebounds against Charlotte.[10] [11] He was subsequently named first-team All-Atlantic 10.[12]

On April 26, 2022, Lee declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[13]

Professional career

Santa Cruz Warriors (2023)

After suffering a foot injury,[14] [15] Lee went undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft.[16]

On February 20, 2023, Lee was acquired by the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League.[17] In 12 games to complete the 2022–23 season, he averaged 5.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.[18]

Lee played for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023 NBA Summer League.[19]

Illawarra Hawks (2023–present)

On July 11, 2023, Lee signed a three-year deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).[19] On January 20, 2024, he had career-best night in the NBL with 24 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting in a 96–89 loss to the Adelaide 36ers.[20]

National team career

Lee played for South Korea's junior national team at the 2015 FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship. He averaged 14 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, leading his team to its first gold medal at the tournament.[21] [22] Lee represented South Korea at the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship and 2018 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship.[1] He averaged 26 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6 assists per game at the 2018 tournament.[23] He played for the senior team at the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments and during the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.[24]

Personal life

Lee's mother, Sung Jung-a, won a silver medal while representing South Korea in basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics. His father, Lee Yoon-hwan, played semi-professionally before becoming a high school athletic director and coach. His older sister, Lee Ri-na, played for the South Korean under-16 national team.[25]

Career statistics

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| Davidson| 28 || 0 || 20.9 || .467 || .377 || .857 || 3.1 || .8 || .6 || .1 || 8.4|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Davidson| 22 || 22 || 29.9 || .508 || .442 || .900 || 4.0 || 2.5 || .5 || .4 || 13.5|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22| style="text-align:left;"| Davidson| 34 || 33 || 32.1 || .474 || .381 || .777 || 6.0 || 1.9 || .7 || .3 || 15.8|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 84 || 55 || 27.8 || .481 || .397 || .823 || 4.5 || 1.7 || .6 || .2 || 12.7

NBA G League

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23| style="text-align:left;"| Santa Cruz| 12 || 0 || 17.6 || .319 || .292 || .600 || 4.2 || 1.7 || .8 || .3 || 5.5|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 12 || 0 || 17.6 || .319 || .292 || .600 || 4.2 || 1.7 || .8 || .3 || 5.5

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Could Lee Hyunjung be the next Yuta Watanabe? Steph Curry's college coach thinks so . . December 21, 2020 . July 14, 2020.
  2. Web site: Yoo . Jee-ho . May 8, 2019 . S. Korean basketball prospect to join Davidson in NCAA . March 2, 2022 . . en.
  3. Web site: Gershon . Josh . Hyunjung Lee: 2019 South Korean SF planning two official visits . . December 22, 2020 . April 16, 2019.
  4. Web site: Scott . David . From South Korea to Australia to Davidson: Hyunjung Lee's journey never lost sight of home . . December 21, 2020 . February 17, 2020.
  5. Web site: Hyunjung Lee. usbasket.com. June 27, 2023. subscription.
  6. Web site: Hyunjung Lee. davidsonwildcats.com. June 27, 2023.
  7. Web site: Yonhap . May 8, 2019 . Lee will be Korea's 4th NCAA Division I baller . December 21, 2020 . . en.
  8. Web site: February 7, 2020 . Rams Ride Wildcat Miscues to Win . December 22, 2020 . Davidson College Athletics.
  9. Web site: Scott . David . March 10, 2020 . Davidson's Kellan Grady, Jon Axel Gudmundsson make all-Atlantic 10 teams . December 22, 2020 . . dead . https://archive.today/20230630115225/https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/article241052126.html . June 30, 2023.
  10. Web site: Lee scores 32 to lift Davidson over Charlotte 75-58 . June 30, 2023 . December 1, 2021 . ESPN.com.
  11. Web site: Hyunjung Lee Game Log 2021-22 . June 30, 2023 . ESPN.com.
  12. Web site: Brajkovic Named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, McKillop, Osunniyi Earn Top Honors . June 30, 2023 . March 8, 2022 . atlantic10.com.
  13. Web site: Yonhap . April 27, 2022 . S. Korean player Lee Hyun-jung declares for NBA draft . January 3, 2023 . . en.
  14. Web site: June 23, 2022 . NBA draft hopeful Lee Hyun-jung likely out for months with foot injury . January 3, 2023 . . en.
  15. Web site: Hyunjung Lee: On mend from foot injury . January 3, 2023 . .
  16. Web site: Yoo . Jee-ho . June 24, 2022 . S. Korean player Lee Hyun-jung goes undrafted in NBA . January 3, 2023 . . en.
  17. Web site: 2022-23 NBA G League Transactions. gleague.nba.com. February 20, 2023.
  18. Web site: Hyunjung Lee. realgm.com. June 27, 2023.
  19. Web site: Hawks Welcome Korean Sharpshooter Hyunjung Lee. Hawks.com.au. July 11, 2023. July 11, 2023.
  20. Web site: Sixers climb off bottom, hand Hawks third straight loss. NBL.com.au. January 20, 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240120131040/https://nbl.com.au/news/sixers-climb-off-bottom-hand-hawks-third-straight-loss. January 20, 2024.
  21. Web site: November 7, 2015 . Korea power their way past Chinese Taipei for maiden FIBA Asia U16 title . December 22, 2020 . FIBA.
  22. Web site: Hyunjung Lee (KOR)'s profile - FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Men 2015 . . December 22, 2020.
  23. Web site: Hyunjung Lee stats . FIBA . March 23, 2022.
  24. Web site: May 11, 2021 . Davidson's Hyunjung Lee Selected to Senior National Team . January 11, 2022 . Atlantic 10 Conference.
  25. Web site: May 8, 2019 . S. Korean basketball prospect to join Davidson in NCAA . December 21, 2020 . Yonhap News Agency.