GWU Hires Former Jayhawk Michael Lee As Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
May 13, 2008 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb University announced
Tuesday afternoon that Michael Lee has been hired as an assistant
men's basketball coach.
Lee, who played under both Roy Williams and Bill Self at Kansas
during a career that spanned 2002-2005, spent last season as a
graduate student manager on the Jayhawks' 2008 National
Championship staff. Lee worked with Self's staff in several areas
last season, including day-to-day operations, travel and
scouting.
"We were very impressed with Michael's knowledge of the game, and
his interview was outstanding," said GWU head coach Rick
Scruggs. "Obviously, this is a young man who had the unique
honor of playing and learning under two of the top coaches in the
college game in Roy Williams and Bill Self – so it came as no
surprise that Michael's base of knowledge was so strong. He comes
highly recommended as a coach and person, and we feel he can have a
very strong influence on our student-athletes and basketball
program."
Lee's experience in the NCAA Final Four isn't limited to his time
with the most recent national championship squad. As a player, the
combo guard was a top reserve during a sophomore season that saw
Kansas run all the way to the 2003 title game in New Orleans.
The Portland, Ore., native netted 13 points and four assists in
Kansas' semifinal win over Dwayne Wade and Marquette, hitting all
three of his shots from long range. He averaged 4.9 points and 2.4
rebounds per game that season, earning the Clyde Lovellette Award
as the team's most improved player. The Jayhawks also advanced to
the 2002 Final Four during Lee's freshman season.
For his career, Lee played in 118 games (nine starts), scored 492
points and proved to be one of the Jayhawks' top perimeter
defenders. He was an integral part of Kansas' teams that won 110
games and spent 63 total weeks ranked in the top-10 by the
Associated Press during his playing career – including seven
weeks as the nation's top-ranked squad. Lee also played a part in
22 wins over top-25 opponents and helped the Jayhawks to three Big
12 Conference regular season titles. Lee was named a team captain
in 2004.
Lee shared the same jersey number (#25) as KU legend Danny Manning,
and became the first Kansas player to wear #25 since Manning led
the Jayhawks to the 1988 NCAA Championship. Lee was an Academic
All-Big 12 second-team selection as a senior, and graduated in 2005
with a bachelor's degree in sociology.
Following his Kansas playing career, Lee spent the 2005-2006 season
with the Harlem Globetrotters. He spent parts of the 2006-2007
season playing professionally on the international level – in
Orleans, France and Vancouver, Canada. He had a stint with the
USBL's Kansas Cougars (Salina, Kan.).
Prior to choosing Kansas, Lee was a two-sport star at Jefferson
(Ore.) High in Portland. He averaged 19.7 points per game as a
senior, earning first-team All-State honors in the process. He and
future Kansas teammate Aaron Miles led Jefferson to a 28-0 record
and a state title as juniors, and also starred together with the
Portland Legends AAU program.
Lee joins a Gardner-Webb program that returns four starters from
2007-2008, which saw GWU post a 16-16 record and a berth in the
Atlantic Sun Conference semifinals for the third time in four
seasons. Among Gardner-Webb's 16 wins was a well publicized, 84-68,
win at No. 20 Kentucky in early November. GWU will begin play in
the Big South Conference in 2008-2009.
