During the final weeks of the 2023-24 B.League season, Hyunjung Lee delivered an extended display of his impressive basketball skills. Most notably, the South Korean swingman averaged 15.3 points in 16 games with the Osaka Evessa.
Lee returned to the B.League for the 2025-26 campaign. And he's made a profound impact for the much-improved Nagasaki Velca, who raised their record to 14-2 on Wednesday by beating the San-en NeoPhoenix 86-80 in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture. They are tied with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins for the second-best record in the 26-team league. (Only the Chiba Jets, who are 15-1, have more wins.)
In head coach Mody Maor's first season at the helm, the Velca went 26-34.
With the addition of Lee this season, one of the first things that jumps out at you about Nagasaki's outstanding play in the season's first two months is its explosive scoring ability.
Maor's club is No 1 in points per game (92.4). Last season, the Velca were 17th (75.8).
Nagasaki relies on a spread-the-wealth approach on offense. In other words, one player isn't required — or expected — to shoulder the scoring load.
Five Velca players have double-digit scoring averages, led by former NBA first-round draft pick Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons, eighth overall selection in 2015) at 20.9 points per game.
Lee is second (18.1, the league's highest average among Asian-born players), followed by Jarrell Brantley (15.3), Yudai Baba (13.0) and Akil Mitchell (10.4).
Hyunjung Lee Establishes Himself as a B.League Star
In all but one of Nagasaki's games through Wednesday, the versatile Korean has put 10 or more points on the board. This includes six with 20 or more. His two best scoring efforts to date are 27 against the Evessa on November 5 and 28 against the Kawasaki Brave Thunders on November 1.
The former Davidson College (North Carolina) player is a premier outside shooter, knocking down 48.7% of his 3-point attempts. He's attempting 7.1 3s per game.
But he's hardly a one-dimensional player, as evidenced by his per-game averages of 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals.
Hyunjung Lee signed a three-year contract with the Australian National Basketball League's Illawarra Hawks in 2023. He helped the Hawks defeat Melbourne United in the NBL Finals in March 2025.
During the NBL offseason, the Velca bought out the final year of the 201-cm Lee's contract with the Hawks.
On Illawarra's official website, the team summarized Lee's contributions, which went far beyond statistics (including averaging 7.6 points in 69 games), during his two seasons with the Wollongong-based club.
"The South Korean sharpshooter became more than just a player off the bench — he became a spark plug, a fan favorite, and, ultimately, a championship contributor," read a portion of a news release. "Known for his lightning-quick release from deep and innate feel for the game, Lee's presence stretched defenses well beyond the arc. Even on the nights he wasn't lighting it up, his gravity created space for others."
A Good Fit for the Velca
For the Velca, signing Lee was a smart investment, and credit should go to Velca general manager Takuma Ito for his roster-building aptitude.
When Nagasaki announced it had signed Lee for the upcoming season on July 30, his comments about his return to Japan reminded everyone of his passion for basketball.
"This will be my first full season competing in Japan, so I'm truly excited and can't wait to meet all the Velca fans," Lee said, according to a news release. "My personal goals for this season are to contribute to the team's push for the championship and the title race, while also delivering strong individual performances. On the court, I will give my all to become a memorable player through hard work and hustle."
'He's a Joy to Coach'
After his college career at Davidson (2019-22), Hyunjung Lee competed for the NBA G League's Santa Cruz Warriors in 2022-23. In 12 games, he averaged 5.5 points. He also played for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
In the NBL, he earned an opportunity for more playing time the next season with Illawarra, appearing in 27 games and providing meaningful contributions on both ends of the floor.
Maor, a former New Zealand Breakers head coach from 2022-24, saw Lee's basketball ability while working in the NBL.
The Los Angeles-born coach said Lee is an accomplished player, according to The Chosun Daily, a Korean newspaper.
"He possesses many strengths: effort, energy, tenacity, selflessness and a team-first mindset," Maor said in October. Maor added, "He's a joy to coach and [he] can play multiple positions."
What else stands out about Lee's on-court play?
"People often focus on his shooting, but that's just a bonus," Maor was quoted as saying by The Chosun Daily. "He's a fantastic passer with boundless energy — he never stops. He embodies the dynamic play we aim for. If he adapts further to the Japanese stage, he'll excel even more."
Keep an eye on Hyunjung Lee as the B.League season progresses. And remember that he's still only 25.
It's possible that he'll have an opportunity to sign an NBA contract in the future.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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