Greg Lee (basketball)
Reseda (Reseda, California) | |
College | UCLA (1971–1974) |
---|---|
NBA draft | 1974: 7th round, 115th overall pick |
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
Playing career | 1974–1980 |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 2, 42 |
Career history | |
1974–1975 | San Diego Conquistadors |
1975–1976 | Portland Trail Blazers |
1977–1980 | TuS 04 Leverkusen |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career ABA & NBA statistics | |
Points | 24 (2.4 ppg) |
Rebounds | 5 (0.5 rpg) |
Assists | 24 (2.4 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Gregory Scott Lee (December 12, 1951 – September 21, 2022) was an American professional basketball and volleyball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, winning back-to-back national championships as their starting point guard in 1972 and 1973. He had short stints in the original American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) before playing four seasons in West Germany. As a volleyball player, Lee teamed with Jim Menges to set a record with 13 consecutive professional beach volleyball titles. He was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association's (CBVA) hall of fame.
Early life
Lee was born in the
Basketball career
Lee played
In Lee's
After his collegiate career ended, Lee was drafted by both the
Beach volleyball career
Lee did not play volleyball for UCLA. However, his older brother Jon was an accomplished beach volleyball player with a "AAA" rating. Jon introduced him to the game. Lee began playing in the sand courts at Sorrento Beach in 1970.[23]
Lee played in his first
Starting in 1975, Lee and Menges began playing together full-time, and the two had a dominant run.
On the 1977 tour, Lee advanced to the finals three times, winning all of them. In 1978, he reached five finals, winning four times. Lee also won the 1981 Laguna Beach Open with Jay Hanseth. In 1981, Lee and Menges won their last open title, at the Mission Beach Open in San Diego.[23] In total Lee won 25 tournaments with his partner Menges, which places the pair at No. 6 on the all-time list of wins for a team.[28]
Lee's greatest success on the beach came when teaming with Menges. They were considered the kings of the beach in the mid- to late 1970s.[29][30] From 1973–1982, Lee and Menges played in 30 tournaments together, winning 25, finishing second three times and third twice. They were never out of the top three. The pair also won pro beach volleyball's first World Championship in 1976.[31] Following a loss that stopped Kiraly and Steffes from breaking the tour record of 13 tournament championships in a row set in 1975–76 by Lee and Menges, Kiraly said: "I guess it's appropriate that Menges and Lee stay in the record book. They laid the foundation for the sport."[32]
Lee scored additional victories with Hagen and Hanseth. In 1977, he left the sand to play professional basketball in Europe, returning to Southern California two years later. He entered a total of 62 opens, reaching the finals 39 times while collecting 29 tournament titles. He was inducted into the
Personal life
Lee and wife Lisa were married for 48 years
Lee faced health problems after a failed back surgery in 1998.[35] He died on September 21, 2022, at a hospital in San Diego. He was 70 and suffered from an infection linked to an immune disorder.[2][33]
References
- ^ a b Goldstein, Richard (September 25, 2022). "Greg Lee, a Key Member of Two U.C.L.A. Title-Winners, Dies at 70". The New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bolch, Ben (September 22, 2022). "Greg Lee dies; UCLA basketball player under John Wooden who became a beach volleyball star". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Reilley, Mike (August 14, 1992). "Menges, Lee Recall a Different Era". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ Haddad, Dana (March 21, 1993). "Former Bruin Still Showing a Deft Touch : Lee Takes Positive Approach as San Diego Teacher, Coach". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Rhoden, William (April 6, 1992). "Michigan's Fab Five: Ready, Steady, Go". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
- ^ 1972 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, College Athletics Publishing Service, 1971
- ^ "1971–72 UCLA Bruins Roster and Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Greg Lee College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Jamaal Wilkes College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Bill Walton III College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "March 25, 1972 UCLA vs. Florida State Box Score". Sports-Reference.com. March 25, 1972. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ 2010–11 UCLA men's basketball media guide Archived July 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 4, 2011
- ^ a b Zier, Patrick (March 24, 1973). "Wooden, Walton, UCLA—And Curtis". Lakeland Ledger. p. 1B. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ Kirkpatrick, Curry (February 5, 1973). "Who Are These Guys?". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on September 25, 2012.
- ^ "2011–12 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). UCLA Athletic Department. 2011. p. 114. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 7, 2012.
- ISBN 9780805092806. Retrieved September 25, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Remembering when Notre Dame men's basketball ended UCLA's record 88-game winning streak in 1974". National Collegiate Athletic Association. January 18, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Wittry, Andy (March 23, 2022). "UCLA men's college basketball championships: Complete history". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "March 23, 1974 UCLA vs. North Carolina State Box Score". Sports-Reference.com. March 23, 1974. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ISBN 9781476716886.
- ^ a b "Greg Lee". Basketball Reference. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
- ^ "Former UCLA Basketball Guard Greg Lee Passes Away". UCLA Athletics. September 22, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Greg Lee: Career". Beach Volleyball Database. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ "Santa Monica Pier". Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
- ^ Reilley, Mike (August 16, 1992). "Luck Elusive for Kiraly and Steffes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ Hall, Dave (August 11, 1989). "Beach Tourney Will Salute the Legendary Stars of Volleyball". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ Angel, Randy (November 15, 2012). "Hermosa Beach hosts annual CBVA Hall of Fame event". Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "Greg Lee – Class of 1997". Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (April 26, 1988). "Stevenson Has Quietly Piled Up Big Numbers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "History of Beach Volleyball". Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "History of Beach Volleyball". Volleyball World Wide. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ^ Reilley, Mike (August 22, 1992). "Smith, Stoklos Fighting the Fine". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ a b Harris, Beth (September 23, 2022). "Greg Lee, UCLA guard under coach John Wooden, dies at 70". Associated Press News. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ a b "Greg Lee Is Named Clairemont Coach". Los Angeles Times. July 10, 1985. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ Canepa, Nick (September 24, 2022). "Column: Remembering Greg Lee, magician of UCLA's dynasty and San Diego educator". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Greg Lee at the Beach Volleyball Database