Marcus Lee Must Emerge from Kentucky Wildcats' Crowd to 2016 NBA Draft
The opportunity to build an NBA draft case hasn't quite been there for Marcus Lee. Apparently, Kentucky attracts some pretty good recruits, and though a highly touted one himself (consensus top 25 out of high school, per 247Sports and ESPN, respectively), Lee failed to crack coach John Calipari's loaded rotation for the second straight season in 2014-15.
As a sophomore, Lee found himself stuck behind three 2015 NBA lottery picks, including No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns.
So we can give him a pass for his career 2.5-point scoring average. It's tough to ask much from a player who's never logged 20 minutes in a game.
That will change in 2016. Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Dakari Johnson—they're all gone, leaving Lee with touches and a first real chance to sell the NBA scouts.
"I'm so anxious for him and want this for him," Calipari told the Courier-Journal's Kyle Tucker. "It's his time, and you know what? He knows it's his time."
But with opportunity comes expectations. And given how little he's produced since arriving at school in 2013, Lee doesn't have much margin for error.
Based on everything we've seen, Lee's current sales pitch is an ability to pick up easy buckets and inject a lineup with activity.
At 6'9", 225 pounds, he's on the skinny side. He's fueled by a live motor and bouncy athleticism, which, along with a 7'3" wingspan, translate to high-percentage finishes off dump passes, lobs, missed shots and fast breaks.
As a freshman and sophomore combined, Lee has converted 67 of 83 field-goal attempts at the rim, good for a terrific 80.7 percent mark, according to Hoop-Math.com.
He's been a forward who's made plays without needing any drawn up for him in the huddle.
Lee just averaged 4.4 offensive rebounds (10.1 total boards) and 2.5 blocks per 40 minutes, highlighting his nose for the ball, pressure on the glass and springs.
Defensively, Lee's length and foot speed can be effective in pick-and-roll coverage, as well as in weak-side rim protection. He isn't the sharpest fundamentally or strongest down low, but he's capable of bringing something to the table at the defense end.
His signature game to date came against Michigan in the 2014 NCAA tournament, when he racked up eight second-chance points off four first-half putbacks.
That's his game on offense—running the floor, cutting backdoor and cleaning up inside. Right now, he projects as a Brandon Wright-type of contributor.
Unfortunately, the flashes have only come in spurts, and we haven't seen much else. NBA scouts have started to express a sense of urgency—and even some skepticism—with regard to Lee's development and potential value.
"Personally, I like him for his energy and hustle, but his frame has been very slight, and he’s not very skilled," one scout told Bleacher Report. "Any kind of ball skills or jump shot will help his cause, but I don’t see him as a first-rounder."
Creating looks and making shots haven't been part of Lee's offensive repertoire. In two years, he's a combined 6-of-32 on two-point jumpers and 15-of-41 (36.6 percent) from the line, per Hoop-Math.com. Meanwhile, Lee hasn't exactly presented himself as a one-on-one option or post scorer.
"He will have to make major strides to work his way into the first round this year," said a second NBA scout. "I expect it will take two more [years]."
Becoming a bigger threat with the ball, whether it's improving his touch or off-the-dribble game, should remain Lee's top priority.
"That elbow offensive game, you've got to be able—they've got to guard you when you catch it on the elbow," Calipari said of Lee (via the Courier-Journal).
The good news out of Kentucky camp: Early reports on Lee have all been positive. Towns, his former teammate, was particularly complimentary after watching him over the summer, having noted (via the Courier-Journal's Kyle Tucker):
"He's confident. He's running the floor at a tremendous pace. He's jumping for everything. He's getting some of the swagger back you probably saw him in high school have. It's amazing to see.
He's dribbling the ball from the three-point line into the basket. He's making layups. He's making guard moves. I mean, he put a lot of work in. He deserves all the credit he's getting now, because it's the best version of Marcus Lee I've ever seen. Put his upgraded talent with this great team, the sky's the limit.
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For what it's worth, Lee couldn't ask for a better setting in 2016. With Tyler Ulis, Isaiah Briscoe and Jamal Murray, Kentucky has guards who can break down defenses and create easy looks for bigs. Outside of incoming freshman Skal Labissiere and returning senior Alex Poythress—who's coming off ACL surgery—Lee appears next in line for frontcourt minutes.
A third NBA scout referred to Lee as a fringe first-rounder entering the year. The potential is there thanks to his physical tools, quickness, explosive hops and energy. Lee has a promising foundation to build on, but he'll need to get the building process going right away.
For a third-year player, struggling to capitalize on his expanded role could knock him outside the draft discussion. However, showing up with a little extra polish, whether it's to his handle, jumper or moves on the block, may suggest there is still more versatility left for coaches to develop and tap into.
This could ultimately end up a make-or-break season in terms of his chances of rising up draft boards. But the stage certainly looks set for Lee to emerge from Kentucky's crowd.
Quotes from scouts obtained firsthand.
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