Saben Lee facts for kids
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Lee with Vanderbilt in 2020
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| No. 9 – Olympiacos | |
|---|---|
| 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 | GBL EuroLeague |
| 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 |
| 2024 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2024–2025 | Manisa |
| 2025–present | Olympiacos |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Saben Anthonia Lee (born June 23, 1999) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Olympiacos, a team in Greece that competes in both the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. 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. As a junior, he was named first-team All-State. He averaged 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game.
After his junior year, Saben decided to play college basketball at Vanderbilt University. Many other big schools also wanted him to play for them. In his senior year, he was again named first-team All-State. He scored 39 points in a state semifinal game, helping his team reach the state championship.
College Career at Vanderbilt
Saben Lee 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.
As a sophomore, he improved his game, averaging 12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. In his junior year, Saben had an even better season. He averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He was named second-team All-SEC, which is a big honor in college basketball. On March 3, 2020, he scored a career-high 38 points in a game against Alabama.
After his junior season, Saben 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)
Saben Lee was chosen by the Utah Jazz as the 38th pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Soon after, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. On December 1, 2020, the Pistons signed him to a special contract. This contract allowed him to play for both the Pistons and their NBA G League team, the Motor City Cruise.
On May 11, 2021, Saben scored his career-high of 22 points in an NBA game. The Pistons then signed him to a longer contract on August 6, 2021. On April 1, 2022, he achieved his first career double-double. This means he had at least 10 points and 10 assists in the same game. He finished with 11 points and 12 assists.
Moving to Other Teams (2022–2024)
In September 2022, Saben was traded to the Utah Jazz, but they later waived him. He then signed short-term contracts with the Phoenix Suns and the Toronto Raptors, but was waived by both teams.
On October 18, 2022, Saben joined the Raptors 905, which is the G League team for the Toronto Raptors. Later that year, on November 23, 2022, he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. He played a few games for them before returning to the Raptors 905 in December 2022.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)
In January 2023, Saben signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. He signed a second 10-day contract and then a two-way contract with them. He was also chosen to play in the G League's first-ever Next Up Game.
On April 9, 2023, Saben had his second career double-double, and his first with the Suns. He scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He signed another two-way contract with the Suns on July 13, 2023.
Playing Overseas (2024–Present)
In August 2024, Saben Lee signed with Manisa Basket in Turkey. He played only one game there before moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel in October 2024. He signed a two-year contract with them.
However, in November 2024, he returned to Manisa Basket. Then, on February 27, 2025, Saben signed with Olympiacos in Greece. He will play for them until the end of the 2026-2027 season.
Career Statistics
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Detroit | 48 | 7 | 16.3 | .471 | .348 | .685 | 2.0 | 3.6 | .7 | .3 | 5.6 |
| 2021–22 | Detroit | 37 | 0 | 16.3 | .390 | .233 | .789 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 1.0 | .3 | 5.6 |
| 2022–23 | Philadelphia | 2 | 0 | 5.1 | .750 | .000 | — | .0 | 1.0 | .5 | .0 | 3.0 |
| 2022–23 | Phoenix | 23 | 1 | 15.8 | .393 | .379 | .737 | 2.0 | 2.8 | .8 | .0 | 6.3 |
| 2023–24 | Phoenix | 24 | 0 | 7.7 | .364 | .125 | .744 | 1.3 | 1.3 | .3 | .1 | 3.0 |
| Career | 134 | 8 | 14.5 | .421 | .271 | .734 | 1.9 | 2.8 | .7 | .2 | 5.2 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Vanderbilt | 32 | 29 | 26.8 | .462 | .307 | .726 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.2 | .2 | 10.6 |
| 2018–19 | Vanderbilt | 32 | 32 | 32.6 | .460 | .362 | .675 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 1.0 | .2 | 12.7 |
| 2019–20 | Vanderbilt | 32 | 17 | 32.9 | .483 | .322 | .752 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 1.5 | .3 | 18.6 |
| Career | 96 | 78 | 30.7 | .471 | .328 | .718 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 1.3 | .2 | 13.9 | |
Personal Life
Saben Lee's father is Amp Lee, who used to play professional football in the NFL. His mother, Natalie Williams, is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School. Saben is also cousins with another basketball player, Trent Forrest.
See also
In Spanish: Saben Lee para niños
