Friday morning Vanderbilt sophomore guard Saben Lee took to his Instagram account to announce his intentions to enter the 2020 NBA draft, although a school spokesperson said he will not forego his eligibility, leaving the option open of him returning to Vandy next season.
Lee will not hire an agent, meaning he will not lose his eligibility if he isn’t satisfied after his NBA evaluation.
The explosive playmaker, who teamed with fellow backcourt star Alex Barcello, averaged 20.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, four assists and two steals per game as a senior. Corona advanced to the 6A Championship before falling to Basha.
“I am very happy for him,” Lee’s former coach at Corona Sammy Duane said to Sports360AZ.com. “He is a high character person who I enjoyed coaching.”
He led the Commodores in scoring last season, averaging 19.0 points per game. Lee scored 30 or more points four times. He tallied a game-high 38 in a road win at Alabama.
“He is extremely athletic, off-the-charts athletic,” Duane, now the head coach at Perry High, said of the hard-working Lee. “His athleticism will play in the NBA. He can score and knows how to score. [I] think his upside is unlimited.”
Some believe the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder needs to improve his jump shot and defensive skills but could go off the board in the second round if he opts to stay in this summer’s draft.
A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.