Damion Lee Excited to Join Phoenix Suns in NBA.com Interview

Damion Lee’s uphill battle to the NBA is detailed along with what he hopes he can bring to the Phoenix Suns.

Spencer Cihak | Sep 8, 2022

Damion Lee Excited to Join Phoenix Suns in NBA.com Interview /

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Phoenix Suns

Earlier this week, Phoenix Suns SG Damion Lee spoke with Suns.com about his journey in basketball and his excitement to be in the Valley for the upcoming 2022-23 season.

Lee has battled health problems from day one, beginning with complications at his birth to two ACL tears in three years (2013 to his right) and (2016 to the left).

After three years at Drexel before redshirting and transferring to Louisville, Lee signed with the G League’s Maine Red Claws where his stats did the talking for him averaging 18/6/3 for the 2016-17 season.

Before the 2017-18 season, Lee was traded to the Santa Cruz Warriors and finished the season on a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks.

He then spent the next two seasons with the Golden State Warriors on two-way contracts. In January 2020 his contract was converted to a standard contract allowing him to play with his brother-in-law full-time, Steph Curry.

A free agent after winning the 2021-22 NBA Finals with Golden State, Lee talked about it taking a few days for the market to heat up, telling Suns.com, “The first day and half, I didn’t really hear much. Rumblings, some interest. It’s like liking someone but not loving someone.”

After a few days, the winning formula of general manager James Jones and head coach Monty Williams took Lee by storm.

“I went to work out, and then leaving the facility, I’m on the phone with one of my friends. …. My agent calls me. ‘This team is interested. They’d like to talk to you; the coach would like to call you…I took a step back, ‘Oh wow.’”

The basketball fundamentals believed in by both parties showed in Jones' conversation with Lee. “Had a conversation with James Jones. I was sold. Similar morals, similar beliefs. Play my game, have fun along the way," said Lee.

Lee plays a well-rounded game that he thinks will help the Suns, saying, “I shoot the ball at a high clip, get into the lane. Pride myself on having a high IQ, cutting without the ball, setting screens for the guys.”

Lee sounds interested in receiving more playing time but is overall not too concerned with the effort he will give regardless of roll, “If it’s as the sixth man, the seventh man, I’m gonna give it my all … I’m all about winning. [I want to] continue to put my imprint on the league.”

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