Lee Hyun-jung (basketball)

Last updated

Lee Hyun-jung
Lee Hyun-jung (cropped).jpg
Lee Hyun-jung at the United States Naval Academy in 2019
No. 5–Nagasaki Velca
Position Shooting guard / small forward
League B.League
Personal information
Born (2000-10-23) October 23, 2000 (age 25)
Seongnam, South Korea
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school
College Davidson (2019–2022)
NBA draft 2022: undrafted
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–2019 BA Centre of Excellence
2023 Santa Cruz Warriors
2023–2025 Illawarra Hawks
2024 Osaka Evessa
2025–present Nagasaki Velca
Career highlights
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 Indonesia Team

Lee Hyun-jung (born October 23, 2000) is a South Korean professional basketball player for the Nagasaki Velca of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Davidson Wildcats of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). He helped the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) win the NBL championship in 2025.

Contents

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 170 centimeters (5 ft 7 in) 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 190 centimeters (6 ft 3 in). 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 and Osaka Evessa (2023–2025)

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 scored a career-high 24 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting in a 96–89 loss to the Adelaide 36ers. [20]

On March 19, 2024, Lee signed with the Osaka Evessa of the B.League. [21] His contract expired on May 31, 2024. [22]

Lee returned to the Illawarra Hawks for the 2024–25 NBL season and helped the team win the NBL championship. [23] He parted ways with the Hawks in July 2025, after his contract was bought out by a Japanese club. [23] In 69 games for the Hawks, he averaged 7.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, connecting on 38% of his three-point attempts. [23]

Nagasaki Velca (2025–present)

On July 30, 2025, Lee signed with the Nagasaki Velca of the B.League. [24]

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. [25] [26] 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. [27] He played for the senior team at the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments and during the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. [28]

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. [29]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2019–20 Davidson 28020.9.467.377.8573.1.8.6.18.4
2020–21 Davidson 222229.9.508.442.9004.02.5.5.413.5
2021–22 Davidson 343332.1.474.381.7776.01.9.7.315.8
Career845527.8.481.397.8234.51.7.6.212.7

NBA G League

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2022–23 Santa Cruz 12017.6.319.292.6004.21.7.8.35.5
Career 12017.6.319.292.6004.21.7.8.35.5

References

  1. 1 2 "Could Lee Hyunjung be the next Yuta Watanabe? Steph Curry's college coach thinks so". FIBA. July 14, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  2. ↑ Yoo, Jee-ho (May 8, 2019). "S. Korean basketball prospect to join Davidson in NCAA". Yonhap News Agency . Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  3. ↑ Gershon, Josh (April 16, 2019). "Hyunjung Lee: 2019 South Korean SF planning two official visits". 247Sports . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Scott, David (February 17, 2020). "From South Korea to Australia to Davidson: Hyunjung Lee's journey never lost sight of home". The Charlotte Observer . Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Hyunjung Lee" . usbasket.com. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Hyunjung Lee". davidsonwildcats.com. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  7. ↑ Yonhap (May 8, 2019). "Lee will be Korea's 4th NCAA Division I baller". Korea JoongAng Daily . Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Rams Ride Wildcat Miscues to Win". Davidson College Athletics. February 7, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  9. ↑ Scott, David (March 10, 2020). "Davidson's Kellan Grady, Jon Axel Gudmundsson make all-Atlantic 10 teams". The Charlotte Observer . Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Lee scores 32 to lift Davidson over Charlotte 75-58". ESPN.com. December 1, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Hyunjung Lee Game Log 2021-22". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Brajkovic Named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, McKillop, Osunniyi Earn Top Honors". atlantic10.com. March 8, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ Yonhap (April 27, 2022). "S. Korean player Lee Hyun-jung declares for NBA draft". The Korea Herald . Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  14. ↑ "NBA draft hopeful Lee Hyun-jung likely out for months with foot injury". Korea Times . June 23, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Hyunjung Lee: On mend from foot injury". CBS Sports . Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ Yoo, Jee-ho (June 24, 2022). "S. Korean player Lee Hyun-jung goes undrafted in NBA". Yonhap News Agency . Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  17. ↑ "2022-23 NBA G League Transactions". gleague.nba.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Hyunjung Lee". realgm.com. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Hawks Welcome Korean Sharpshooter Hyunjung Lee". Hawks.com.au. July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Sixers climb off bottom, hand Hawks third straight loss". NBL.com.au. January 20, 2024. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024.
  21. ↑ "イ ヒョンジュン選手 契約基本合意(新規)". 大阪エヴェッサ. March 19, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  22. ↑ "イ ヒョンジュン選手 契約満了". 大阪エヴェッサ. June 5, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  23. 1 2 3 ""Lee for Three!": Hyunjung Lee Departs Hawks for Japan Opportunity". Illawarra Hawks | Official NBL Website. July 31, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  24. ↑ "イ ヒョンジュン 選手契約基本合意(新規)のお知らせ". velca.jp (in Japanese). July 30, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Korea power their way past Chinese Taipei for maiden FIBA Asia U16 title". FIBA. November 7, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Hyunjung Lee (KOR)'s profile - FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Men 2015". FIBA . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Hyunjung Lee stats". FIBA. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Davidson's Hyunjung Lee Selected to Senior National Team". Atlantic 10 Conference . May 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  29. ↑ "S. Korean basketball prospect to join Davidson in NCAA. He has a girlfriend Rebecca Yeh". Yonhap News Agency . May 8, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
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