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 two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2019).

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.

The Illawarra Hawks entered the 2023/24 NBL season looking to rebound from the previous year’s struggles. A significant offseason signing was Hyunjung Lee, who joined the Hawks under the league’s Asian player rule on a three-year deal, becoming the first Asian player to play for Illawarra. His signing was highly anticipated, with Hawks GM of Basketball Mat Campbell emphasizing Lee’s elite perimeter shooting and his potential to elevate the team. Campbell stated, “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, aiming to become only the second Korean-born player in the NBA, brought added excitement to Illawarra’s roster.

The Hawks also retained key players Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk while bringing back Justin Robinson, who had recovered from a season-ending injury in 2022. Additional signings included NBA veteran Gary Clark and young talents Mason Peatling, Biwali Bayles, and Lachlan Olbrich. Despite promising preseason performances, Illawarra struggled once the regular season began, losing momentum early and finding themselves at 2-4 by October, with wins over South East Melbourne and Cairns.

Hyunjung Lee faced injury setbacks early in the season, limiting his initial impact. However, as the season progressed, he carved out his role in the Hawks’ rotation. Despite the team parting ways with head coach Jacob Jackomas following consecutive defeats to Sydney and Cairns, interim coach Justin Tatum revitalized the group, leading them to four wins in six games. The emergence of players like Will Hickey and the midseason addition of Kyle Adnam provided a spark, but injuries to key contributors like Daniel Grida added challenges.

Under Tatum’s guidance, Illawarra managed a late-season surge, finishing the regular season in fourth place with a 14-14 record. The team showed significant improvement offensively, increasing their average points per game from 80.8 in 2022/23 to 91.6 in 2023/24. However, their postseason journey began with a loss to Tasmania (92-76) in the play-in tournament before a dramatic victory over New Zealand (88-85) secured their spot in the semi-finals against Melbourne United.

The semi-final series proved a battle of resilience. In Game 1, despite a strong first half, Illawarra fell in overtime (115-106). The Hawks rebounded in Game 2 with a thrilling five-point victory, pushing the series to a decider. Ultimately, their dream run ended in Game 3, as United edged them out by six points, denying the Hawks a Grand Final berth.

Hyunjung Lee made an impression in his rookie season, appearing in all 32 games and averaging 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. His ability to stretch the floor with his shooting and his contributions on both ends of the court were vital to the Hawks’ resurgence. Lee’s performance cemented him as a key building block for Illawarra’s future as they aim to contend for a championship.

Hyunjung Lee currently plays for the Illawarra Hawks and has played 61 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists since entering the league in 2023.

Dan Boyce (835 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.