Saben Lee facts for kids
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Lee with Vanderbilt in 2020
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| No. 9 – Manisa Basket | |
|---|---|
| Point guard / Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 23, 1999 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| High school | Corona del Sol (Tempe, Arizona) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 183 lb (83 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Vanderbilt (2017–2020) |
| NBA Draft | 2020 / Round: 2 / Pick: 38th overall |
| Selected by the Utah Jazz | |
| Pro career | 2020–present |
| League | Basketbol Süper Ligi BCL |
| Career history | |
| 2020–2022 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2021–2022 | →Motor City Cruise |
| 2022 | Raptors 905 |
| 2022 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2022 | →Delaware Blue Coats |
| 2022–2023 | Raptors 905 |
| 2022–2024 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2024 | Manisa Basket |
| 2024 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2024–present | Manisa Basket |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Saben Anthonia Lee (/ˈseɪbən/ SAY-bən; born on June 23, 1999) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Manisa Basket in Turkey. This team is part of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the Basketball Champions League (BCL). Before becoming a professional, Saben played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Saben Lee grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He went to Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona. In his junior year, he was named first-team All-State. He averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. After his junior year, Saben decided to play college basketball at Vanderbilt. Other big schools like Louisville and Stanford also wanted him.
As a senior, he was again named first-team All-State. He scored an amazing 39 points in a state semifinal game. This helped his team, the Aztecs, reach the state championship game.
College Basketball Career
Saben started as the main point guard for the Vanderbilt Commodores in his first year. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Steals are when a player takes the ball from an opponent.
In his second year, he improved, averaging 12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. By his junior year, he was averaging 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Because of his great performance, he was named second-team All-SEC. The SEC is a major college sports conference.
On March 3, 2020, Saben scored a career-high 38 points. This helped Vanderbilt win a game against Alabama. After this season, he decided to enter the 2020 NBA draft. He signed with an agent, which meant he would not play his final year of college basketball.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting with the Detroit Pistons (2020–2022)
The Utah Jazz picked Saben Lee as the 38th player in the 2020 NBA draft. Soon after, on November 22, 2020, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons signed him to a special "two-way contract." This meant he could play for both the Pistons and their minor league team, the Motor City Cruise.
On May 11, 2021, Saben scored his career-high of 22 points in an NBA game. In August 2021, the Pistons signed him to a longer contract. On April 1, 2022, he achieved his first "double-double." This means he had double-digit numbers in two different stats in one game. He scored 11 points and had 12 assists in a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Moving Around the NBA and G League (2022–2023)
In September 2022, Saben was traded to the Utah Jazz again, but they later let him go. He then signed short contracts with the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors, but was waived by both teams.
In October 2022, Saben joined the Raptors 905. This team is part of the NBA G League, which is like a development league for the NBA.
In November 2022, Saben signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on another two-way contract. However, he was waived by them in December. He then returned to play for the Raptors 905.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)
On January 11, 2023, Saben signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. He signed a second 10-day contract later that month. Then, on February 1, he signed a two-way contract with the Suns.
He was chosen to play in the G League's first-ever Next Up Game in 2023. In the final game of the regular season, Saben had his second NBA double-double. He scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. This was his best game with the Suns. In July 2023, he signed another two-way contract with the Suns.
Playing Overseas (2024–Present)
In August 2024, Saben signed with Manisa Basket in Turkey. He played only one game there before leaving the team.
On October 13, 2024, he signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. However, he found it hard to settle in. So, on November 23, 2024, Saben Lee returned to Manisa Basket in Turkey, where he plays now.
Personal Life
Saben Lee comes from a family of athletes. His dad, Amp Lee, used to be a running back in the NFL. His mom, Natalie Williams, is a lawyer who graduated from Vanderbilt University. Saben is also cousins with basketball player Trent Forrest.
