The Illawarra Hawks are delighted to announce the signing of South Korean sharpshooter Hyunjung Lee for the NBL24 season.
A 6-7 small-forward, Lee will bring his long-range marksmanship to the resurgent Hawks on a three-year deal.
Lee is a prodigious talent who was a member of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, where he built relationships with current Hawks Sam Froling, Dan Grida, and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, who were athletes at the Centre of Excellence [COE] at the time.
Lee played his college basketball with the Davidson Wildcats in the Atlantic 10 Conference and the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G-League. Lee is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers side currently taking part in the 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
During his three seasons at Davidson, Lee established himself as one of the best shooters in college basketball.
As a sophomore, Lee became the first Wildcat to finish with the rare 50-40-90 shooting numbers: 50.8 per cent from the field, 44.2 per cent from the three-point range and 90 per cent from the free throw line. Lee’s three-point percentage of 44.2 is a single-season record at Davidson, ahead of NBA superstar Steph Curry who sits second on their all-time list.
A star for his junior national team, Lee played for Korea’s Under 16, 17, and 18 sides and was the leading scorer at the 2018 Under 18 Asia Basketball Championships, averaging 26 points per game.
Lee comes from a strong basketball pedigree with his mother, Seong Jeong-a part of the South Korean silver medal-winning team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Lee’s father, Lee Yun-Hwan, played semi-professionally during the same period and has been a leading high school coach since retiring in 1991.
The signing continues the club’s impressive roster rebuild under GM of Basketball Mat Campbell and Head Coach Jacob Jackomas. It also brings to life the club’s relationship with the Asian basketball ecosystem via the Hawks’ association with the East Asia Super League [EASL].
The Hawks form part of the Crest Sport and Entertainment basketball family, which includes the EASL, Bay Area Dragons, and the newly launched Alumni Basketball League [ABL].
Lee will be the first player of Asian descent to don a Hawks uniform and joins a young and developing program led by Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, and Justin Robinson.
For the Hawks, Lee’s signature is a result two years in the making, with conversations beginning at the end of his junior year with the Wildcats.
“We are excited to add an elite shooter and emerging talent in Hyunjung Lee to the club,” said Hawks GM of Basketball Mat Campbell.
“As a club, we have followed Lee’s progress with real interest; we think he will be a great fit with our current group.”
“Elite perimeter shooting is a real difference maker in today’s game, and adding a player of Lee’s skill set provides Jacob and his coaching staff another likely option at the wing position.”
“Lee has aspirations of becoming only the second Korean-born player in the NBA, and we have no doubt the Hawks are the perfect platform for him to continue his improvement and ultimately find his way onto an NBA roster.”
For Lee, the Hawks and the NBL provide a unique opportunity to enhance his game in one of the world’s best leagues.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Hawks organisation for the next three seasons,” said Lee.
“To represent a club with such a proud history and to have the chance to play with the likes of Sam, Dan, and Wani is something I am looking forward to.”
“The Hawks are well respected for their ability to nurture and develop their players in achieving their international and NBA goals, which was a key driver in my decision-making.”
“I have heard great things about Wollongong, and I look forward to meeting the coaches, my teammates and the Hawks faithful as we prepare for an exciting NBL24 campaign.”
The Hawks NBL24 main roster is now complete, with Hyunjung Lee joining Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, Justin Robinson, Gary Clark, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Dan Grida, William ‘Davo’ Hickey, Mason Peatling, Lachlan Olbrich, Todd Blanchfield, and AJ Johnson along with development players Harry Morris, Biwali Bayles and Luca Yates.
