Twitter: @willmyleslee2

Instagram: @fullycharged_will

 

Well, we're now in another 'quiet period' within the basketball scene, as the 2019 travel season has passed by and high school hoops won't start up for another couple of months. Nonetheless, daily workouts for improvement never truly ends for driven players and they'll have the final portion of this summer, headed into the fall, to keep putting in work. This becomes an imperative stretch of time during the 12-month year for those who wish to make their name known for the upcoming school season. Staying dedicated to the grind will give one confidence when they ask themselves on the first day of tryouts, 'did I put in the proper preparation''

Personally, I enjoy the fall because it allows me to get an early glance at teams when I, as well as my other peers on the Phenom Hoops team, conduct our preseason 'open gym tour.' I have familiarity with a good deal of 2020 names to know in Virginia already but, as always, I'm eager to find out more about rising seniors who have the chance to shine greater this 2019-20 season. Right now, shifty guard William Lee '20 of Blue Ridge School (St. George, VA) is one who immediately comes to mind. He produced very well as a newcomer last winter, averaging close to 10 points a game, but should see even more of an expanded leadership role following a strong summer.

Lee didn't just arrive as a new face to the successful Blue Ridge program last fall but also to the state of Virginia, having lived in Queens, NY for all of his life. When watching the 5'11' product handle the rock, I can definitely sense some New York style of play in his game, considering the state held a strong reputation in past decades for breeding out talented guards.

'Growing up, I used to look up to a couple of players from the area, such as Marion Smith,' Lee noted. 'One of my dad's best friends is Khalid Reeves (former NBA pro), so he had always had me watching Reeves, Kenny Anderson, and other old-school New York guards. I became motivated by them and other people in my neighborhood. That's when I really started to find out this is what I wanted to do.'

For all of my Virginia peers, especially the ones who may not know a thing about New York basketball, they might find it interesting to learn that high school competition in the two states doesn't have much of a contrast; in Lee's eyes, at least. Ranging from top to bottom of the East Coast, the players contain notable skills and aggressive mentalities to make high school ball an enjoyable show.

'When I was at my old school, Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School (Brooklyn, NY), we had a tough schedule; going against top-notch players. I saw that same trend when I came here to Blue Ridge too. So, competition-wise in New York compared to Virginia, I feel it's pretty equal. Playing on a national schedule for Blue Ridge always brings challenges and, in New York, I had to go against known names like Cole Anthony and Moses Brown. One of the biggest advantages at Blue Ridge is that we have our own gym, strictly for basketball. That's something I wasn't used to in New York.'

One of six new players who suited up for the Barons this past 2018-19 year, Lee found himself having to quickly become acclimated to the new environment of Virginia once he settled into the all-male boarding school's grounds. I'm sure it was significant change of scenery from him; coming from an urban type of setting to the calm mountains of St. George, VA.

'That transition was different'especially during my first month or so. I'm used to always hearing city noise but, at Blue Ridge, everything's pretty quiet. It helps me focus on my game and study in the classroom better though. I definitely wasn't used to it at first; it all kind of threw me off.'

Making adjustments tends to always force one to get out of his or her comfort zone but one of Blue Ridge's strongest values centers on the togetherness of their program. It's something I've deemed since Day 1 and other players from the team that I've featured in the past have all agreed equally. Having reliable teammates, both on and off the court, makes everything that much easier for both the newbies and the veterans.

'It was all so welcoming. I first saw it on my visit I took last April. Chris Rogers '19 (senior captain of this past year's group) made me feel like I was home; he showed me around and could answer any questions I had. Once the school year started, I saw how everybody was working hard and they told me this was the right place to be. We bonded together, which mainly helped us become that state championship team.'

Oh yes, I remember covering that intense Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division II state championship on March 2nd, 2019 between Blue Ridge and Miller School (Charlottesville, VA). Earning my pick as the state tournament's most exciting contest, the Barons ultimately secured a 61-51 win in overtime to celebrate their second title in the past three seasons. Lee refers to the experience as 'a dream come true'; one that required a collective effort of hard work; day in and day out.

I didn't get a chance to see Lee play in travel ball this summer but he ended up joining a few of his high school teammates, along with Blue Ridge assistant coach Parker Kirwan, on Team Loaded 434 Kirwan 17u. The exceptional roster also featured the other three Blue Ridge 2020 prospects: Jackson Culhane, Sasha Glushkov, and Andy Nwaoko. Whenever you get to spend the offseason continuing to play with guys you've established familiarity with over the past eight months, chemistry should never become an issue.

'Playing with Coach Kirwan this summer was helpful for me. The team's style and drawn-up plays were very similar to the system we run at Blue Ridge, which I've became used to by this point. Not to mention that my teammates made it all easier. Coach Kirwan put me in a position to do what I could do best. We won some good games and lost some tough ones but it was a good last run of AAU overall.'

Personally, one of my favorite moments of the summer happened back in mid-June, when Blue Ridge hosted the inaugural 'Virginia Live Period Shootout.' The two-part event brought in private school teams both in and out of the state, as well as dozens of college coaches. Even with massive talent filling up the gym, Lee's stellar play in both sessions of the 'Shootout' definitely made some great noise. He looked aggressive as a scoring lead guard; creating his shot just as good as anyone I covered throughout those few days. He's always been good with the ball in his hands but now displays even more impressive shot-making, range, and finishing ability. The senior's craftiness keeps opponents second-guessing and his acceleration gets him to various spots on the floor. When he caught fire in those games, it felt like nobody could cool him off.

'I've mainly been working on my speed and athleticism as of late, trying to beat my defender quicker. I think it's important to work on your body and, as a guard, you can't be slow. Coach Cade Lemcke (head coach of Blue Ridge's varsity) is a big defensive guy, so I want to make sure I can stay in front of my man for 94 feet too. There's other things I pay attention to, like ball-handling and shooting, so I can be all-around player.'

Surrounding coaches at the 'Shootout' seemed to notice Lee's talent and the guard has pulled in interest from many Division I teams thus far. Howard, VMI, Navy, Drexel, Maryland Eastern Shore, Fordham, Richmond, Hartford, and LIU Brooklyn are all on the list. Last week, on August 1st, Lee took an unofficial visit to St. Francis College of Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights, NY) in his home state.

'There's a lot of different schools expressing interest right now but I honestly feel I'll be able to show even more once the school season gets here. The visit to St. Francis went good; being in the city. I spent time with head coach Glenn Braica.'

Another recent experience, closing out the month of July, saw Lee and Glushkov packing their bags and heading out to the University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT) for Session II of the NCAA College Basketball Academy (7/25 ' 7/28); another first-time event that took place this summer. Based off of the way he details those three days in Connecticut, it seems safe to say it had takeaways that Lee won't forget any time soon.

'That camp was hands down one of the best I've ever been to. It started with the life skills taught by NBA players and agents. It wasn't just on basketball but also things like handling social media the right way and knowing how to be more mature. They explained how everyone wants to make it to the NBA but the chances are so slim. That's why furthering your education is so important. There's many jobs in the world that revolve around basketball, outside of just playing it. A lot of things that they said stuck out to me because I might not have thought much of those teachings when I was younger. I was able to take a lot of knowledge from the staff at the stations too. For a kid who doesn't play on a circuit team (for travel basketball), going to that camp will likely mean a ton to him. That camp is VERY helpful in different ways.'

This busy summer's flying by and it shouldn't be long before Lee will again make the trip back down here to Virginia for his final high school outing. A large portion of upperclassmen will also return to the Blue Ridge 2019-20 squad, as only four seniors graduated this past spring. With his senior season over the horizon, Lee has a couple of hopeful goals in mind; one involves securing an achievement never done before in the Barons' history.

'I was speaking to a friend about how the coaches told us they've never gone back-to-back in winning state championships. That would be a huge goal for us this year. For me, personally, I'd like to become first team all-conference, first team all-state, and Player of the Year. Oh, and being a good teammate; acting as the senior that I'm supposed to be.'

Per usual, Blue Ridge should emerge as another force within the VISAA classification in the incoming months, featuring next-level promise. The coaching staff does a great job of prepping their guys to handle different forms of adversity and I see Lee as one who should be a key piece within their backcourt. Michael Gray '21, a 6'2' bona fide scorer, has enjoyed a successful offseason of his own and returns to the mix. A duo of him and Lee could potentially result as one of Virginia's best. I'll make sure to have my popcorn ready.

But wait, where does William Lee see himself in ten years'

'Hopefully playing in the NBA but, if not, I just want to still be involved in the basketball world. It could be as a commentator, coach, working with Nike/Adidas, or whatever else. I want to be wealthy. That's my main goal and everybody else's, usually.'

Yep, making money is the motive, for sure. Keep proving your worth on the court, Will!