Russ Lee facts for kids

Russell E. Lee (born January 27, 1950) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Milwaukee Bucks picked him as the 6th player overall in the 1972 NBA draft. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Marshall Thundering Herd team.

Playing College Basketball

Russ Lee played four seasons for the Marshall University Thundering Herd. He was a great player, averaging about 23.9 points and 11.3 rebounds in each game. In 1985, he was honored by being added to the Marshall Hall of Fame. Later, in 2003, his jersey number was officially retired. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again.

Professional NBA Career

Joining the Milwaukee Bucks

In the 1972 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks chose Russ Lee as the sixth player overall. He played for the Bucks for two seasons. During his time with the team, he usually came off the bench as a substitute player. He averaged about 2.6 points per game. His first year, his rookie season, was his best with the Bucks. He averaged 2.8 points per game that year.

Moving to the New Orleans Jazz

Before the 1974–1975 NBA season began, Russ Lee was traded to the New Orleans Jazz. He was part of a trade that also involved a future draft pick. In return, the Bucks received another player, Steve Kuberski, and a different draft pick. Lee played only 15 games for the Jazz. He averaged 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. After these games, he was released from the team and decided to retire from basketball.

Personal Life and Family

Russ Lee has a younger brother named Ron Lee. Ron was also a very talented basketball player. He was an All-American player at the University of Oregon. In 1978, Ron was the NBA leader in steals. Russ also has another brother, Eugene, who played basketball at Marshall University.

See also

In Spanish: Russell Lee para niños