Courtney Lee played the longest-serving Hilltopper in the league in 12 N.B.A. seasons, outlasting Clem Haskins’ nine seasons from 1967 to 1976. He appeared in 811 games with 518 starts throughout that time.
Lee plays considerably more potent than he seems because of his sturdy build. He overcomes screens, engages in post-competition, keeps a proper stance on the ball, and exhibits good lateral quickness.
In the N.B.A. Draft of 2008, Lee was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 22nd overall pick. Similarly, in June 2009, Lee was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Later, the athlete was traded to the Houston Rockets in August 2010.
Lee was traded to the Boston Celtics in July 2012. Similarly, Lee was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in January 2014, and in February 2016, he was transferred to the Charlotte Hornets.
Before moving to the Dallas Mavericks in January 2019, Lee spent three seasons with the New York Knicks, where he signed in July.
In this, we will discuss everything there’s about Courtney Lee. So hold onto the article till the end.
Courtney Lee: Quick Facts
| Full Name | Courtney Lee |
| Known as | Courtney |
| Nickname | Not Available |
| Birth Date | October 3, 1985 |
| Birth Place | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Residence | Not Available |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Education | Pike (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Western Kentucky (2004–2008) |
| Zodiac Sign | Libras |
| Father’s Name | Anthony Lee Sr |
| Mother’s Name | Teer Butler |
| Siblings | Anthony Jr Lee (brother) |
| Age | 38 years old |
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches |
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Girlfriend | Not Available |
| Children | London Olivia Lee (daughter) |
| Playing Career | 2008-2020 |
| Teams | Orlando Magic New Jersey Nets Houston Rockets Boston Celtics Memphis Grizzlies Charlotte Hornets New York Knicks Westchester Knicks Dallas Mavericks |
| Endorsements | Not Available |
| Net Worth | $40 million |
| N.B.A. Draft Pick | 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22nd overall |
| Position | Shooting Guard |
| League | N.B.A. |
| Merch | Basketball Card |
| Social Media | |
| Last Update | March 2024 |
Amateur Career
Lee played on the 2003 Indiana 4A state champion squad while attending Pike High School in Indianapolis. He was a standout with the Indy Hornets’ A.A.U. Club, where he won multiple state titles and consistently finished highly at the A.A.U. Nationals.
Rivals.com rated the athlete as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and ranked them as the nation’s No. 34 shooting guard in 2004. Similarly, Lee was ranked as the nation’s No. 34 shooting guard in 2004 by s.com.William Small, a former assistant coach at Western Kentucky, persuaded Lee to play for the Hilltoppers in 2004.
Lee scored 461 points in 31 games during his rookie season, a W.K.U. Record for a freshman. In addition, he won the Sun Belt Player of the Year honor as a senior at W.K.U.
While ranking 28th nationally in scoring with 20.4 points per game, he also assisted the Hilltoppers in advancing to the Sweet 16 of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
Moreover, he played 3,957 total minutes over his four years at W.K.U., started 127 games, converted 82 percent of his free throws, made 245 three-pointers, had 242 steals, 281 assists, and blocked 78 shots.
Despite the ongoing career, the Hilltoppers announced that Lee’s jersey would be retired on January 10, 2015.
Professional Career
The Orlando Magic selected Lee with the 22nd overall pick in the 2008 N.B.A. Draft. Lee recorded season-high stats against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 4, 2009.
Lee was traded from New York to Dallas in January 2019, and in the following season (his final season), 2019–20, he played in 24 games with nine starts while averaging 4.5 points.
Similarly, he started five of the Mavericks’ seven games in March, including the final four before the N.B.A. declared midway through the team’s game against Denver that the season would be suspended due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
During the seven-game period, Lee averaged 6.6 points in 22.6 minutes per game, while his shooting rate was 50% from the field and 46.7 percent from the 3-point range.
Similarly, he scored 21 points overall for the game, making three 3-pointers and 9 of 10 field goals.
Before starting the regular season, Lee signed with the Mavericks on December 11.
However, on December 19, he was released so the team could reduce its roster to 15 plus two two-way players. During the final exhibition game against Minnesota, he played six minutes and made a 3-pointer.
Courtney Lee: Injury
The Dallas Mavericks revealed on June 22, 2020, that Lee had a left calf ailment while the N.B.A. was off. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon confirmed the information and described the incident as a “freak accident.”
When injuries sidelined Jalen Brunson and Dwight Powell in March, the 6’5″ guard began showing his worth.
Moreover, the Western Kentucky product played in seven games, averaging 6.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. And throughout that time, he made 46.7 percent of his three-point shots.
Later, when the season resumed in Orlando, Florida, the Mavericks could have used his outside shooting.
Exterior Feature
Up to 6 feet 5 inches tall and 215 pounds, Courtney Lee is a tall man with an attractive buildup. However, he didn’t sport a specific jersey.
Although he’s 6’5″ height and thin build raised questions when he first entered the league, Lee’s tenacity and outstanding lateral agility have transformed him into a defensive hound.
As of now, he could be seen jogging on the basketball court while sporting the numbers 11, 6, and 1. Sometimes, commentators would refer to him by his jersey number rather than his name. To his supporters, each is memorable.
Previously, he played shooting guard in the sport of basketball. For that position, he was his team’s most in-demand player.
Moreover, this position allowed him to achieve outstanding personal achievements while contributing to his contractual team’s success. This man shoots with the proper technique.
The tattoo on his arms “R.I.P. Danny Rumph” is a tribute to Lee’s W.K.U. teammate, who passed away in May 2005 from an enlarged heart after making the game-winning jumper in a pick-up game in Philadelphia where he was raised.
Post-Retirement
Even after retiring, Lee’s passion for sports remains unwavering. He has already started playing golf.
On March 24, Lee shared a picture of himself on Instagram wearing a W.K.U. Shirt and participate in golf at the Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park, Florida. In the background is a W.K.U. Golf bag with a Big Red club cover.
Lee’s retirement also brought him back to Bowling Green on Saturday, but he was carrying a softball bat this time.
Similarly, as the opposing team’s captain, he assisted fellow W.K.U. Legend George Fant with his Dream Big Camp. Despite a ground-rule double that made his at-bats stand out, his squad lost to Fant’s 5-4.
Additionally, Lee expressed his gratitude to Fant for including him and giving him a solid reason to return to the area where he excelled while playing collegiate basketball.
Moreover, there’s a decent probability Lee may also return to Bowling Green after retirement.
Courtney Lee: Family
On October 3, 1985, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Courtney Lee was born. His mother, Teer Butler, and his father, Anthony Lee Sr., are both his parents. Similarly, Anthony Lee Jr. is his brother’s name.
Although there are no records of Courtney Lee ever getting married, the myth that he is married is far from true. However, there is no information regarding his partner, and he hasn’t discussed his relationships.
Given that he does have a child, Lee appears to be busy away from the spotlight. London Olivia Lee, his daughter, was born on February 3, 2016, and she is his only child.
On his Instagram account, Lee does share photos of his daughter.
Apart from that, Olivia’s mother’s identity is still unknown. Likewise, Lee has never provided any information about his girlfriend, Olivia’s mother, or whether or not he is still dating her.
Net Worth
Lee is recognized as one of the N.B.A.’s most prosperous players. His professional career began in 2008, and it will finish in 2020. Likewise, this well-known basketball player has a $40 million net worth.
Throughout his outstanding basketball career, he was able to amass a million-dollar wealth. His career earnings account for the majority of the assets’ worth. In the meantime, the remaining wealth is derived from his post-retirement life activities’ earnings.
In addition, the player has more than ten years of experience playing basketball professionally in the N.B.A., and his career earnings total $50 million.
With the New York Knicks, Lee agreed to a $48,003,340 contract and shared the locker room with the Knicks’ players until the end of the 2020 season. His compensation for the 2018–19 campaign was $12.2 million.
Awards & Achievements
Courtney Lee has adorned his wall of accomplishments with several accolades, titles, records, and successes. Below are the awards he has accumulated so far in his career;
- Sun Belt Player of the Year (2008)
- No. 32 jersey retired by Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
- 3× First-team All-Sun Belt (2006–2008)
Social Media Presence
Courtney is a frequent user of Instagram. On his Instagram profile, he frequently shares images of his daughter and sporadically shares details about his other personal life.
Additionally, he uploads photos of himself playing games. His Instagram showed that he continued to play sports after retirement.
On February 3, 2020, he shared a lovely post of his daughter on her 4th birthday with a caption, “The day you were born, you stole my heart, and you haven’t given it back since.”
Similarly, he added;
“I pray that it stays that way on this lifelong journey. Happy 4th birthday to my baby girl London Olivia Lee (L.O.L.) 🥳🎂🎈🎉🎊 #girldad.”
Below is the link to his social media account;
Instagram– 141k followers
F.A.Q.s
Is Courtney Lee a good defender?
Lee constantly plays up on his man-on-man-to-man defense and has excellent raw talents and a strong foundation on defense. Although he is not a lockdown defender, he exhibits lateral solid quickness and instincts.
What is Courtney Lee doing?
Courtney Lee has exchanged his basketball shoes for a softball bat and a pair of golf clubs. As of now, the former N.B.A. player from Western Kentucky is content in his post-playing days’ retirement.
