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Greg Lee (basketball)
Greg Lee (basketball)
Greg Lee (basketball)
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Gregory Scott Lee (December 12, 1951 – September 21, 2022) was an American professional basketball and volleyball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, winning back-to-back national championships as their starting point guard in 1972 and 1973. He had short stints in the original American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) before playing four seasons in West Germany. As a volleyball player, Lee teamed with Jim Menges to set a record with 13 consecutive professional beach volleyball titles. He was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association's (CBVA) hall of fame.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Lee was born in the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles on December 12, 1951.[1] His father, Marvin, played center for the UCLA Bruins under coach Wilbur Johns.[2] Lee attended Reseda Charter High School,[1] where he was an All-American and twice was named Los Angeles City Section player of the year in basketball.[2][3]

Basketball career

[edit]

Lee played point guard at the University of California, Los Angeles, from 1971 to 1974.[4] When he arrived, freshmen were not allowed to compete on the varsity team. He played on the freshman team with Bill Walton and Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal Wilkes),[5] and they went undefeated with a 20–0 record.[6] In his sophomore year, Lee became a starter on the varsity squad. He and his classmates went on the 1971–72 Bruins squad and had a record of 30–0, winning its games by an average margin of over 30 points.[7] Lee averaged 8.7 points per game,[8] while Wilkes averaged 13.5 points and Walton 21.1.[9][10] UCLA won the national title in 1972 over Florida State 81–76.[11]

The following year, the Bruins again went 30–0, and again won the NCAA tournament with an 87–66 win over Memphis State.[12] Lee's 14 assists in the game set an NCAA championship game record.[2] He had started the season as a reserve after coach John Wooden replaced him in the starting lineup with Tommy Curtis. However, Curtis became ill with the London flu after 10 games.[13][14] Lee re-established himself as the starter, and Curtis became a key reserve.[13]

In Lee's senior year in 1973–74, Curtis became a starter again,[15] and Andre McCarter's improved play also cut into Lee's playing time.[16] The school's 88-game winning streak ended with a 71–70 loss to Notre Dame.[17] The streak remains an NCAA men's basketball record.[2] Later that season, UCLA's stretch of consecutive national titles was stopped at seven after North Carolina State defeated the Bruins 80–77 in double overtime in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament.[18][19] In his 2016 autobiography, Walton blamed Curtis for both the tournament loss as well as earlier defeats in the season, and lamented Lee's lack of playing time.[20] During his collegiate career, Lee was named a three-time academic All-American.

After his collegiate career ended, Lee was drafted by both the NBA and ABA. The Atlanta Hawks drafted him in the seventh round (115th pick overall) of the 1974 NBA draft and the San Diego Conquistadors drafted him in the fifth round of the ABA draft the same year. He chose the Conquistadors, averaging 3.6 points and 2.6 assists in five games.[21] The next season, he moved to the NBA, joining Walton on the Portland Trail Blazers and averaging 1.2 points and 2.2 assists in five games.[2][21] At the urging of former UCLA player John Ecker, Lee then played in West Germany for four seasons with TuS 04 Leverkusen.[2][22]

Beach volleyball career

[edit]

Lee did not play volleyball for UCLA. However, his older brother Jon was an accomplished beach volleyball player with a "AAA" rating. Jon introduced him to the game. Lee began playing in the sand courts at Sorrento Beach in 1970.[23]

Lee played in his first open at the Laguna Beach Open in 1972, finishing second with Ron Von Hagen. His first open victory was with Tom Chamales at the 1972 Santa Barbara Open. Lee reached the finals four times that year, winning twice. It was in Santa Monica in 1972 that Lee met what came to be his longtime beach partner Jim Menges.[23] The pair of Lee and Menges won their first open tournament together at the 1973 Marine Street Open, defeating Ron Lang and Von Hagen in the finals.[24] The two were partners on and off over the summers of the next two seasons while Menges completed his volleyball career at UCLA and Lee played professional basketball for a couple of years. Lee's best finish on the beach in 1974 was a second at the Manhattan Beach Open.[23]

Starting in 1975, Lee and Menges began playing together full-time, and the two had a dominant run.[3] They reached the finals of 10 events, winning all but one. In the mid-1970s, the beach volleyball tour consisted of 12 tournaments, all played at beaches along the California coast, from Santa Cruz in the north to San Diego in the south.[3] Lee and Menges dominated the events, winning the final seven events of the 1975 season and the first six in 1976 to string together 13 tournament wins in a row.[3] The record stood for 16 years until tied by the pairing of Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes.[25] Lee and Menges had become the most dominant pairing in beach volleyball.[26][27]

On the 1977 tour, Lee advanced to the finals three times, winning all of them. In 1978, he reached five finals, winning four times. Lee also won the 1981 Laguna Beach Open with Jay Hanseth. In 1981, Lee and Menges won their last open title, at the Mission Beach Open in San Diego.[23] In total Lee won 25 tournaments with his partner Menges, which places the pair at No. 6 on the all-time list of wins for a team.[28]

Lee's greatest success on the beach came when teaming with Menges. They were considered the kings of the beach in the mid- to late 1970s.[29][30] From 1973 to 1982, Lee and Menges played in 30 tournaments together, winning 25, finishing second three times and third twice. They were never out of the top three. The pair also won pro beach volleyball's first World Championship in 1976.[31] Following a loss that stopped Kiraly and Steffes from breaking the tour record of 13 tournament championships in a row set in 1975–76 by Lee and Menges, Kiraly said: "I guess it's appropriate that Menges and Lee stay in the record book. They laid the foundation for the sport."[32]

Lee scored additional victories with Hagen and Hanseth. In 1977, he left the sand to play professional basketball in Europe, returning to Southern California two years later. He entered a total of 62 opens, reaching the finals 39 times while collecting 29 tournament titles. He was inducted into the CBVA Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1997.[23]

Personal life

[edit]

Lee and wife Lisa were married for 48 years [33] and had two children: Ethan and Jessamyn.[2] Following his athletic career, Lee and his family settled in San Diego. He taught mathematics at Morse High School and coached the girls junior varsity team for two years and was an assistant coach on the boys' varsity team.[34] In 1985, he became the varsity boys coach at Clairemont High,[34] where he continued teaching math and also coached tennis.[3]

Lee faced health problems after a failed back surgery in 1998.[35] He died on September 21, 2022, at a hospital in San Diego. He was 70 and suffered from an infection linked to an immune disorder.[2][33]

References

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Greg Lee (basketball)

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Gregory Scott Lee (December 12, 1951 – September 21, 2022) was an American basketball and beach volleyball player, renowned for his contributions as a point guard on UCLA's back-to-back undefeated NCAA championship teams in 1972 and 1973 under coach John Wooden. Born in Reseda, California, as the youngest of three brothers, Lee starred in high school basketball at Reseda High under his father Marvin, a former UCLA center, earning two-time Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year honors with scoring averages of 27.3 and 29.0 points per game. At UCLA from 1971 to 1974, he was a three-year starter and three-time Academic All-American, averaging 5.8 points and 1.5 rebounds over 88 games while helping the Bruins compile an 86-4 record, including a freshman season of 20-0 with 17.9 points per game. His most notable performance came in the 1973 NCAA final, where he recorded a then-record 14 assists in an 87-66 victory over Memphis State, setting an 88-game winning streak during his tenure. Following his college career, Lee was selected in the seventh round of the by the but pursued opportunities in the ABA and NBA, appearing in five games for the (averaging 3.6 points and 2.6 assists) and five for the (1.2 points and 2.2 assists). He later played four seasons professionally in for TuS 04 in the late 1970s. Transitioning to without prior college experience in the sport, Lee formed a dominant partnership with Jim Menges from 1973 to 1982, competing in 62 professional "Open" tournaments and securing 29 victories, including 25 wins in 30 events together and a streak of 13 consecutive titles from June 1975 to August 1976. Standing at 6'3" with exceptional passing skills honed from basketball, he also won the first World Championships of in 1976 with Menges and was inducted into the Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame in 1997. In his later years, Lee earned a teaching credential from UCLA and served as a math teacher at in , where he also coached varsity and . Married to Lisa Parducci for 48 years, he was survived by their son Ethan, daughter Jessamyn Feves, son-in-law Ryan, and grandchildren Donovan and Opal, as well as brother Jon. Lee passed away in a hospital from an infection linked to an , having previously managed neuropathy and undergone heart valve replacement.

Early life

Family background

Gregory Scott Lee was born on December 12, 1951, in Reseda, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. He was the youngest of three brothers in a family deeply immersed in basketball culture. Lee's father, Marvin Lee, played center for the basketball team in the 1940s under coach Wilbur Johns, establishing a strong familial tie to the university's athletic program. Marvin later became a prominent high school coach in the area, further embedding basketball within the family's daily life and values. This paternal legacy provided Lee with an early and intimate connection to competitive sports, particularly . Growing up in Reseda during the mid-20th century, Lee was surrounded by a basketball-oriented environment that emphasized athletic discipline and UCLA's storied traditions. Family discussions and activities often revolved around the sport, fostering his initial interest through direct exposure to his father's experiences and coaching insights. This upbringing in the San Fernando Valley laid a foundational influence on his lifelong engagement with athletics.

High school career

Greg Lee attended Reseda High School (now ) in Reseda, , where he played varsity for three seasons under his father, Marvin Lee, the team's coach. As a , Lee emerged as a dominant player, averaging 27.3 as a junior and 29.0 as a senior, while demonstrating exceptional playmaking and scoring skills that controlled the game's tempo. He was named Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year as a junior in 1969 and repeated the honor as a senior in 1970, a rare achievement as only the third player to do so since 1938. In his senior year in 1970, Lee earned All-American recognition for his outstanding performance. He was also honored as of his graduating class. Leading Reseda to strong showings in local competitions, including a berth in the 1969 City Section title game against Palisades—despite a loss there—Lee's contributions highlighted his family's UCLA basketball ties as added motivation for his development.

College basketball career

UCLA tenure

His family's ties to the program, combined with his All-American status, led to his recruitment by UCLA coach John Wooden, and he enrolled in 1970. As a freshman in the 1970-71 season, when first-year players were ineligible for varsity, Lee starred on the undefeated freshman team (20-0), averaging 17.9 points per game alongside future stars Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes. Lee earned three varsity letters at UCLA from 1971-72 to 1973-74, serving as the starting during his , junior, and senior seasons. He averaged 5.8 points and 1.5 rebounds per game across 88 varsity appearances, with his scoring peaking at 8.7 as a in 1971-72. Renowned for his precise passing in Wooden's fast-break offense, Lee set an NCAA record with 14 assists in the 1973 title win over Memphis State, and he averaged nearly three assists per game during his senior year in 1973-74. As a key member of UCLA's dynasty under Wooden, Lee helped extend the program's NCAA-record 88-game from 1971 to 1974, contributing to teams that went 86-4 overall during his varsity tenure. Playing alongside dominant center and forward , he facilitated the Bruins' high-efficiency , emphasizing unselfish play and quick transitions. Academically, Lee was a three-time Academic All-American, reflecting his status as valedictorian at Reseda High and his pursuit of a teaching credential at UCLA. His time at UCLA fostered deep team camaraderie, with lasting bonds to Walton and other teammates that extended into professional basketball and later endeavors.

National championships

As a in the 1971–72 season, Greg Lee earned a starting role as for UCLA, contributing to the team's undefeated campaign and seventh consecutive NCAA championship. In the national title game on March 25, 1972, at the , Lee started and recorded 4 assists and 2 rebounds in 16 minutes of play, helping the Bruins secure an 81–76 victory over Florida State despite a close contest that saw UCLA rally from a halftime deficit. This win capped UCLA's 30–0 season and extended the program's ongoing , which had begun in early 1971 under coach . The following year, as a junior starter in 1972–73, Lee played a pivotal playmaking role in UCLA's repeat undefeated title run, further building the streak to 60 consecutive victories entering the postseason. In the 1973 NCAA championship game on March 26 in , the Bruins dominated Memphis State 87–66, with Lee dishing out a then-record 14 assists in 34 minutes—many of them lob passes to center , who scored 44 points on 21-of-22 shooting, including several highlight-reel dunks off Lee's feeds. Lee's performance underscored his value as the orchestrator of UCLA's fast-break offense, setting up easy baskets for teammates in high-pressure scenarios. These back-to-back championships were integral to UCLA's legendary 88-game , which spanned from February 1971 to and remains the longest in major men's ; Lee's steady guard play across the 1972 and 1973 seasons helped sustain the run through 60 games by the end of the 1973 title.

Professional basketball career

Domestic leagues

Following his successful college career at UCLA, where he contributed to back-to-back national championships, Greg Lee entered the professional ranks as a late-round draft pick, leveraging his championship experience and playmaking skills. Lee was selected by the in the seventh round (115th overall pick) of the . The same year, he was chosen by the in the fifth round (44th overall) of the 1974 ABA Draft. Opting for the ABA, Lee appeared in five games for the Conquistadors during the 1974–75 season, averaging 3.6 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in 12.6 minutes of play. In the 1975–76 season, Lee transitioned to the NBA, signing with the after being traded from the Hawks; there, he reunited with former UCLA teammate but received minimal opportunities. He played in five games for Portland, averaging 1.2 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 7.0 minutes, totaling 6 points before being waived in November 1975. Lee's limited minutes in both leagues reflected the intense competition for roles among established professionals.

Overseas career

Following a brief professional stint in the United States with the during the 1975–76 NBA season, Lee relocated to at the encouragement of former UCLA teammate John Ecker. He joined TuS 04 in the for the 1977–78 season and remained with the team through the 1979–80 season, playing three seasons in total. As the starting point guard, Lee adapted to the European style of play, which emphasized disciplined team offense and defense over individual athleticism. In a league less physically demanding than the NBA or ABA, he became a key contributor for as a reliable . His performances helped the team compete in regional tournaments, including the European Champions Cup, where he scored 14 points in a 1977–78 matchup against Real Madrid. Lee's most notable achievement came in the 1978–79 season, when won the German national championship, defeating 1846 Gießen in the final; he was part of the championship roster alongside teammates like John Ecker and Rudi Kleen. In his final season (1979–80), reached the final but lost to SSC Göttingen. After the 1979–80 season, Lee retired from professional at age 28, returning to the to pursue a career in .

Beach volleyball career

Entry into volleyball

In the early 1970s, while completing his career at UCLA, Greg Lee began transitioning to as a recreational outlet amid his pursuit of professional opportunities. Introduced to the by his older brother , Lee first played casually at Sorrento Beach in Santa Monica, immersing himself in Southern California's vibrant beach culture that emphasized outdoor athleticism and community gatherings. This shift was facilitated by the region's proximity to his professional basketball stints with the (1974–1975), allowing him to balance both pursuits without prior organized experience during his UCLA tenure. By 1975, Lee committed more seriously to while still active in professional , drawn to the sport's demands for , quick lateral movements, and explosive jumping—skills directly transferable from his basketball background as a 6 ft 3 in guard known for precise passing and court vision. His basketball-honed athleticism enabled rapid adaptation to volleyball techniques like powerful and defensive digs, despite being entirely self-taught through observation and practice at Sorrento Beach, a hub for local players. This period marked a pivotal entry into competitive play, leveraging the physical parallels between the two sports to build proficiency without formal coaching. Lee's first major partnership formed with Jim Menges, a fellow native and established beach player, beginning in amateur and open circuits around 1973 but intensifying in 1975. Together, they trained primarily at Sorrento Beach, where Lee refined his game by learning from seasoned locals, transitioning from sporadic participation to a more dedicated involvement that overlapped with his domestic commitments. This collaboration highlighted Lee's quick , as he applied basketball-derived quickness to volleyball's dynamic sand-based environment, setting the stage for his emergence in the sport.

Major achievements

Greg Lee's most notable success in beach volleyball came through his partnership with Jim Menges, with whom he competed from 1973 to 1982. Together, they won 25 tournaments out of 30 played on the California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) tour, establishing a dominant presence in the sport during the mid-1970s. Their victories included prestigious events such as the Manhattan Beach Open, where they claimed the title and earned significant purses for the era. A highlight of their collaboration was an unbeaten streak of 13 consecutive tournament wins from June 15, 1975, to August 15, 1976, which set a benchmark for excellence in and was later tied by and Kent Steffes. In 1975 alone, the duo reached the finals of all 10 events they entered, securing victory in nine, while they won every final in their seven tournaments the following year. This run underscored their consistency and contributed to the professionalization of the sport. Together, they also won the inaugural Olympia World Championship of in 1976 at in Pacific Palisades, . Lee excelled as a defender and server, leveraging his basketball-honed footwork and agility to cover the court effectively and disrupt opponents' attacks. His quick lateral movements and precise serving, derived from years of on-court maneuvering in , allowed him to anticipate plays and maintain defensive pressure throughout matches. In recognition of his competitive achievements and role in popularizing , Lee was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame in 1997. This honor highlighted his contributions to the sport's growth, including helping elevate its visibility through high-profile wins and media coverage during a formative period.

Later life

Teaching and coaching

After retiring from professional basketball in 1980, Greg Lee returned to and earned a teaching credential from UCLA. He began his career in as a at local high schools, including Samuel F. B. Morse High School and , where he specialized in advanced courses such as and for gifted students. Lee also took on coaching roles at these schools, leading basketball teams including the varsity boys' squad at starting in 1985 and the girls' junior varsity team at Morse High School. He additionally coached at Clairemont, emphasizing a positive and trusting approach that encouraged personal growth among inner-city youth. His background as a standout player added credibility to his mentorship in multiple sports, allowing him to draw on diverse athletic experiences to guide young athletes. Over more than three decades in education, Lee continued teaching and coaching, impacting generations of students through his commitment to academics and sportsmanship. His style, influenced by the disciplined environment under UCLA coach , focused on and intellectual development, helping student-athletes navigate challenges beyond the court.

Personal life and death

Greg Lee married his wife, Lisa, in 1974, and their partnership endured for 48 years until his death. They settled in with their two children—a son, Ethan, and a , Jessamyn Feves—as well as son-in-law Ryan, grandchildren Donovan and Opal, and brother Jon, building a stable family life there amid Lee's teaching career. In his later years, Lee faced significant health challenges, including neuropathy, a heart valve replacement, complications from a botched back surgery in 1998, and an immune disorder that ultimately led to a fatal infection. He passed away on September 21, 2022, at a hospital in San Diego at the age of 70. His death prompted heartfelt tributes from the UCLA basketball community, which remembered him as a key contributor to their championship legacy, and from the beach volleyball world, where he was celebrated as a pioneer and beloved figure.

References

  1. https://uclabruins.com/news/2022/9/22/mens-basketball-former-ucla-basketball-guard-greg-lee-passes-away
  2. https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2022-09-22/greg-lee-dies-former-ucla-basketball-player-under-john-wooden-then-a-beach-volleyball-star
  3. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/25/sports/basketball/greg-lee-dead.html
  4. https://volleyballmag.com/greg-lee-tribute-092722/
  5. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leegr01.html
  6. https://bvbhof.com/player_detail.asp?p=279
  7. https://alumni.ucla.edu/class-notes/greg-lee-74/
  8. https://www.avpress.com/news/greg-lee-ucla-guard-under-wooden-has-died/article_0371e42c-3baf-11ed-a204-cba95771518f.html
  9. https://resedacharterhs.lausd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=4278761&type=d&pREC_ID=2520835
  10. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-21-sp-13709-story.html
  11. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/men/parade-all-america.html
  12. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/greg-lee-2.html
  13. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/09/24/remembering-greg-lee-magician-of-uclas-dynasty-and-san-diego-educator/
  14. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1972-03-25-florida-state.html
  15. https://uclabruins.com/sports/2013/4/17/208274585
  16. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story?id=5929596
  17. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1973-03-26-memphis.html
  18. https://lenferman.substack.com/p/a-tribute-to-bill-walton-his-greatest
  19. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jun-05-la-sp-wooden-streak-20100606-story.html
  20. http://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/Search/SearchResults.php?Player=Greg%2BLee&Team=&BeginDate=&EndDate=&PlayerMovementChkBx=yes&submit=Search
  21. https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Greg-Lee/775498
  22. https://basketball.eurobasket.com/European-Champions-Cup/GamesBoxscores/1977-1978.html
  23. https://www.eurobasket.com/Germany/Basketball-Bundesliga_1978-1979.aspx
  24. http://www.bvbinfo.com/player.asp?ID=362
  25. http://bvbinfo.com/player.asp?ID=362
  26. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-14-sp-5297-story.html
  27. http://www.bvbhof.com/buildio/player_detail.asp?p=279
  28. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-07-10-sp-7741-story.html
  29. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/greg-lee-ucla-dies_n_632dbe38e4b05db5206e1dba
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