NICKNAME/S: HJ

BIO: Lee Hyunjung was born in Seongnam (South Korea). There, he attended Samil Commercial School in Suwon, playing basketball under the coaching of his father.

In 2018, Lee enrolled at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia.

In conjunction with the NBA Global Academy and the Centre of Excellence, playing alongside Hawks teammates Sam Froling, Dan Grida, and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk. He also attended Lake Ginninderra Secondary College, which is where he learned to speak English. Lee received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2019. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

FAMILY: Lee comes from a strong basketball pedigree with his mother, Seong Jeong-a part of South Korea’s silver medal-winning basketball 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. His older sister, Lee Ri-na, played for the South Korean under-16 national team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Hyunjung Lee made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 22 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

Following the worst season in club history, Illawarra entered Jacob Jackomas’ second year as head coach looking to recover from a 3-25 campaign. Kevin White (retired), Tim Coenraad (retired), Akoldah Gak (to Cairns), Mangok Mathiang (to New Zealand) and Alex Mudronja (to Cairns) departed, while Todd Blanchfield (via Perth), Mason Peatling (via Melbourne), Biwali Bayles (via Sydney), Lachlan Olbrich (via UC Riverside), Next Star AJ Johnson and Gary Clark (via Mexico City) joined the roster. Tyler Harvey, captain Sam Froling, Justin Robinson, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, William Hickey and Daniel Grida returned as the core group.

Hyunjung Lee (via Santa Cruz) joined Illawarra through the NBL’s Asian Player Rule on a three-year deal, becoming the first player of Asian descent to wear a Hawks uniform and the first South Korean player in the NBL. Hawks GM of Basketball Mat Campbell said, “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.”

Illawarra opened the season against Sydney at the WIN Entertainment Centre on September 30, where Lee (4 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) made his NBL debut in 18:33 off the bench, but the Kings won 96-81. Harvey (19 points and 3 steals) and Grida (14 points and 7 rebounds) led the Hawks, while Kouat Noi (23 points) was Sydney’s leading scorer.

One week later, Lee (9 points and 5 rebounds) made all three of his three-point attempts and connected on consecutive triples during a late 12-0 run as Illawarra defeated South East Melbourne 113-106 and ended an eight-game home losing streak. Robinson (26 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Harvey (20 points) led the Hawks, while Will Cummings (28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals) was the Phoenix’s best.

Lee (7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across 32 games) missed the Round 3 loss to Tasmania due to illness but returned against Adelaide two days later and appeared in every remaining game. He became a regular part of the rotation, made nine starts and connected on 42-of-109 three-point attempts across his debut NBL season.

Lee’s best scoring game came against Adelaide at the WIN Entertainment Centre on January 20, where Lee (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) made 9-of-16 from the field and five three-pointers, but the 36ers defeated Illawarra 96-89 and handed the Hawks their third consecutive loss. Harvey (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Froling (14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, while Trey Kell III (26 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Adelaide.

Consecutive heavy defeats to Sydney and Cairns left Illawarra at 2-7 and resulted in Jackomas parting ways with the club, with assistant Justin Tatum taking over as interim head coach and leading the Hawks to four wins from their next six games. Grida (5.2 points across 10 games) was sidelined by a knee injury, Hickey (5.2 points across 25 games) emerged in a larger role and Kyle Adnam (1 point across 3 games) joined as an injury replacement.

Clark (17 points and 7.8 rebounds across 33 games) led Illawarra in scoring, won the club MVP award and was selected to the All-NBL First Team, while Froling (15.4 points and 7.8 rebounds across 33 games) received the NBL Next Generation Award. Harvey (15.1 points across 33 games), Robinson (12 points and 4.4 assists across 33 games) and Swaka Lo Buluk (6 points across 32 games) were the other main contributors as the Hawks increased their scoring from 80.8 to 91.6 points per game and finished fourth with a 14-14 record.

Illawarra opened the play-in tournament against Tasmania at MyState Bank Arena, where Lee (2 points and 2 rebounds) played 13:37 off the bench as the JackJumpers won 92-76. Clark (21 points and 10 rebounds) and Harvey (15 points) led the Hawks, while McVeigh (26 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Magnay (25 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) controlled the game for Tasmania.

The Hawks returned to the WIN Entertainment Centre for an elimination game against New Zealand, where Lee (7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals) helped Illawarra win 88-85 and advance to the semifinals. Robinson (26 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Froling (21 points and 9 rebounds) led the Hawks, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (19 points, 9 assists, and 2 steals) and Cheatham (14 points and 9 rebounds) were New Zealand’s best.

The semifinal series began at John Cain Arena, where Lee (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) made three three-pointers in 18:11 as Illawarra surrendered a late lead and lost game one 115-106 in overtime. Froling (26 points and 5 rebounds) and Clark (22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Hawks, while Dellavedova (30 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals) and Travers (24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) sparked Melbourne’s comeback.

Game two moved to the WIN Entertainment Centre, where Lee (2 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks) played 18:31 as Clark (31 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 assists), Harvey (23 points), Froling (19 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Hickey (18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led Illawarra to a 113-108 overtime victory. Dellavedova (20 points and 8 assists) and Lual-Acuil (18 points and 7 rebounds) led Melbourne before the Hawks forced a deciding game.

Game three returned to John Cain Arena, where Froling (23 points and 4 rebounds), Robinson (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Clark (14 points and 6 rebounds) kept Illawarra within reach, while Ili (22 points) and Travers (15 points and 11 rebounds) led Melbourne to a 100-94 victory and ended the Hawks’ season one game short of the Grand Final. Lee (12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) played 14:48 minutes in the loss.

2024/25
After finishing fourth with a 14-14 record and pushing Melbourne to a deciding semifinal the previous season, Illawarra entered Justin Tatum’s first full campaign without AJ Johnson (to Milwaukee), Gary Clark (to Yokohama), Justin Robinson (to Breogán), Kyle Adnam (to Cairns) and Biwali Bayles (to Nyon). Hyunjung Lee returned alongside Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, William Hickey, Lachlan Olbrich, Mason Peatling, Todd Blanchfield and Daniel Grida, while Tatum added Trey Kell III (via Adelaide), Darius Days (via Rio Grande Valley), Zac Triplett (via Melbourne) and Brad Ballinger (via Illawarra NBL1).

Lee returned for the second season of the three-year deal signed with Illawarra in 2023. Before returning to Wollongong, the South Korean wing earned a place on Portland’s 2024 NBA Summer League roster and appeared twice, averaging 5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Illawarra opened the season at HoopsFest on September 21 with a 102-75 win over Cairns, where Lee (12 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 block) provided immediate perimeter scoring in 17 minutes off the bench. Days (20 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Froling (19 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 block) led the Hawks, while Tanner Groves (19 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block) was Cairns’ best.

Lee (7.7 points and 3.4 rebounds across 29 games) appeared in every regular-season game, came off the bench 28 times and shot 35.8 percent from three-point range, providing another floor spacer capable of changing games during short stretches.

Lee (15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) made four three-pointers during Illawarra’s home opener on September 27 as the Hawks defeated Brisbane 113-101. Kell (30 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Froling (16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) led the Hawks, while Keandre Cook (17 points and 3 steals) was Brisbane’s leading scorer.

His best scoring game came against Sydney on November 16, where Lee (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) made four of his five three-point attempts as Illawarra defeated the Kings 86-79. Kell (19 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Froling (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided support, while Jaylen Adams (23 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals) led Sydney.

During the November FIBA Asia Cup qualifying window, Lee represented South Korea and finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in a 98-75 loss to Australia.

Kobe McDowell-White (via Sunshine Coast) joined the development group in October, while Kuany Kuany (via VCU) was added as a nominated replacement player in November.

Lee’s best all-round game of the regular season came against Sydney on February 7, where he made four three-pointers and finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block as Illawarra defeated the Kings 95-75. Harvey (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Hickey (12 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal) helped the Hawks finish first with a 20-9 record and secure the first regular-season championship in club history, while Adams (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Sydney.

Harvey (17.9 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals) and Kell (17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists) led Illawarra’s offence, while Froling (14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds), Days (11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds), Hickey (8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists), Olbrich (8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds) and Swaka Lo Buluk (7.8 points) formed one of the league’s deepest rotations. Tatum received the Lindsay Gaze Trophy as NBL Coach of the Year, Harvey and Kell earned All-NBL First Team selections and Froling was named to the All-NBL Second Team, while Harvey, Kell and Froling shared Illawarra’s club MVP award.

Illawarra opened the semifinals at the WIN Entertainment Centre with a 101-94 win over South East Melbourne, taking control with a 32-12 third quarter behind Kell (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists), Harvey (24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Blanchfield (16 points and 6 rebounds), while Lee (0 points and 2 rebounds) played six minutes off the bench. Joe Wieskamp (22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks), Nathan Sobey (17 points and 9 rebounds) and Derrick Walton Jr (15 points, 3 rebounds, and 11 assists) led the Phoenix.

Game two moved to Melbourne, where Lee (8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal), Hickey (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists), Froling (11 points and 5 rebounds) and Harvey (10 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra, but South East Melbourne levelled the series with a 101-94 win behind Matt Hurt (30 points and 2 blocks), Sobey (25 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Angus Glover (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists).

The deciding game returned to Wollongong, where Lee (3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks) contributed as Kell (30 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal), Blanchfield (28 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal) and Harvey (12 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals) powered Illawarra to a 126-96 win and its first Grand Final appearance since 2017. Wieskamp (25 points and 5 rebounds), Sobey (19 points and 6 rebounds) and Owen Foxwell (13 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led the Phoenix.

The Grand Final series opened in Wollongong, where Lee (9 points), Froling (16 points and 7 rebounds), Hickey (14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) and Blanchfield (13 points and 3 rebounds) led Illawarra, but Matthew Dellavedova (18 points and 7 rebounds), Chris Goulding (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Marcus Lee (14 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks) carried Melbourne to a 96-88 win.

Game two moved to John Cain Arena, where Lee (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) contributed as Harvey (24 points), Froling (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Kell (18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) led Illawarra to a 102-100 win. Ian Clark (31 points), Goulding (17 points and 4 assists) and Dellavedova (14 points and 5 assists) led Melbourne before Harvey made the winning three-pointer with six seconds remaining.

Melbourne regained control in game three with an 83-77 road win behind Jack White (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals), Clark (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Dellavedova (16 points and 11 assists), while Hickey (12 points), Days (11 points and 4 rebounds), Kell (10 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lee (5 points and 6 rebounds) led Illawarra. Kell suffered a knee injury late in the game and was ruled out of game four.

Facing elimination at John Cain Arena, Lee (3 points and 1 rebound) contributed as Hickey (22 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals), Olbrich (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists), Harvey (12 points and 4 rebounds) and Days (9 points and 11 rebounds) carried Illawarra to an 80-71 win. Froling (5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) ruptured his Achilles during the second quarter, while Dellavedova (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists), Goulding (17 points and 5 rebounds) and Clark (16 points and 2 steals) led Melbourne.

The deciding game returned to Wollongong, where Lee (6 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) contributed as Kell (26 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists), Hickey (21 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists), Harvey (16 points and 7 rebounds), Swaka Lo Buluk (16 points) and Olbrich (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Illawarra to a 114-104 win. Goulding (21 points, 3 assists, and 2 blocks), Shea Ili (20 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals) and White (17 points and 7 rebounds) led Melbourne, while Dellavedova (5 points and 7 assists) was awarded the Larry Sengstock Trophy before presenting it to Hickey as the Hawks claimed their second championship, first since 2001, and Lee won his first NBL title.

In July 2026, he earned a place on San Antonio’s NBA Summer League roster, where Lee (22 points and 5 rebounds) made four three-pointers off the bench as the Spurs defeated Utah 94-82. Lee’s remaining contract was bought out after the season and he joined Nagasaki Velca in Japan.

Hyunjung Lee played two seasons with the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 69 NBL games.