By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has officially signed U.S. guard Saben Lee to a two-year contract.
The 25-year-old guard joins the yellow-and-blue from Turkish team Manisa, strengthening Oded Kattash’s backcourt after four seasons in the NBA. Lee will wear jersey number 5 for Maccabi.
In his first two appearances on the European stage with Manisa in the Basketball Champions League, Lee showcased his excellent scoring ability, with a 36-point performance against Murcia and a record-tying 43 points against FMP Belgrade.
“I’m excited to join such a historic club and looking forward to this season,” Saben Lee told Maccabi’s official website. “I hope we can win many games and bring pride to the fans. I’m grateful for the opportunity and want to thank the management, coaching staff, and everyone who had a hand in me getting to wear Maccabi’s uniform. Let’s go Maccabi, I can’t wait to get to work.”
Oded Kattash believes Lee will help the team on both sides of the court.
“We’re very happy to have Saben join us. He’s a very versatile player with many offensive tools that will help us. In addition to his offensive versatility, Saben also has great athleticism that benefits him on both ends of the court.”
Saben Antonio Lee was born on June 23, 1999, in St. Louis, Missouri, to a sports-oriented family. His father, Antonio “Amp” Lee, was an NFL running back who played for several teams and even won a Super Bowl with St. Louis, where he caught the final touchdown for the legendary quarterback Joe Montana while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Saben’s cousin, Trent Forrest, is also a basketball player who joined Baskonia this summer.
The Lee family later moved to Phoenix, where young Saben excelled in basketball from an early age. He was named to the Arizona State First Team twice in a row and received many college offers, eventually choosing Vanderbilt, where his mother had studied. He played three years for the Commodores, becoming a starter right from the beginning and standing out with 18.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game in his final season, during which he played alongside Scotty Pippen Jr.
Saben’s success at Vanderbilt caught the attention of NBA scouts, and in the 2020 draft, he was selected 38th overall by Utah, which later traded him to Detroit. The talented point guard spent two years alternating between the Pistons and their G League affiliate, making 85 NBA appearances and averaging 5.6 points per game. He later had a brief stint with Philadelphia before landing in Phoenix, where he spent about two years.
In total, he made 134 appearances in the world’s top league, with averages of 5.2 points, 2.8 assists, and 14.5 minutes per game. This summer, he made the transition to Europe, signing with Turkish side Manisa. However, after just a few impressive games, he is now taking a leap to the EuroLeague level with Maccabi.