Saben Lee selected by Utah Jazz, then acquired by Detroit Pistons, in 2020 NBA Draft: Corona del Sol alum is the No. 38 pick
Point guard Saben Lee from Vanderbilt University — and, previously, Corona del Sol High School — was selected No. 38 overall by the Utah Jazz on Wednesday in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Reports suggest the Jazz have agreed to trade Lee's rights to the Detroit Pistons.
Here is our pre-draft breakdown of Lee from earlier this week:
PG Saben Lee, Vanderbilt (Corona del Sol HS)
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 183 pounds
Draft position: Late second round or undrafted
NBA comparison: Collin Sexton
Lee was a two-time 6A first-team all-state selection with the Aztecs, leading them to the state title game as a senior. He committed to Vanderbilt after his junior season at Corona del Sol.
During his time at Vanderbilt, Lee underwent three seasons of turmoil, but he finally broke through as a junior, earning second-team All-SEC honors while averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds. He declared for the draft after the season and surprised some onlookers by not withdrawing his name before the deadline.
Peachtree Hoops: “Some aspects of Lee’s game seem largely ready to be useful in an NBA environment. In fact, Lee might have been the best pure isolation player in the country during the 2019-20 season. So, why is Lee not showing up higher on projected draft boards? The biggest question is whether or not he will ever be good enough at enough things at the NBA level to ever get to consistently function in isolation and, thus, maximize his strengths.”
The Rookie Wire: “While there is not a clear position for Lee considering he is a bit undersized to play the two, he is extraordinary at getting to the basket and scoring, a potential second-unit scoring leader at the next level if his jump shot develops.”
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated: “Although he’s a bit of a loose cannon on offense, Lee’s athleticism and ability to attack the rim hold a level of intrigue, and he’s an interesting developmental target in hopes he takes a big leap in a better situation.”