The NBL champion and Davidson sharpshooter heads to training camp on an Exhibit 10 deal, aiming to secure his NBA dream through Portland’s growing international pipeline.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed NBL champion and South Korean sensation Hyunjung Lee to a one-year, non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal.
His agency, Epic Sports, announced Monday that Portland had signed the sharpshooter. The deal gives Lee an invite to Trail Blazers training camp later this month, where he'll compete for a roster spot ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Lee, 25, arrives with an unusual international path. He spent two seasons with the Illawarra Hawks of Australia's National Basketball League, helping the club win the NBL25 championship this past year. During his time with Illawarra, Lee averaged 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting a solid 37.7% from behind the arc.
The 6-foot-7 Lee also spent time in Japan's B.League with the Nagasaki Velca, where he won Finals MVP and earned a spot on the league's Best Five team.
This isn't his first appearance on the NBA radar. Lee was a standout shooter at Davidson, where he became the first Wildcat to post a 50-40-90 shooting season.
He went undrafted in 2022 after a foot injury and has been between the G League's Santa Cruz Warriors, Australia and Japan for the last few years.
This summer, he played well for the San Antonio Spurs' Summer League team, averaging 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists over an eight-game sample.
Epic Sports said Lee had hoped for a two-way deal but views the Exhibit 10 deal as an important first step toward an NBA roster.
If he does not make the opening-day roster by the end of camp, he can continue developing with the Rip City Remix, Portland's G League affiliate. With a strong showing there, he could potentially earn a two-way deal down the road.
Should Lee make the roster, he'd give the Trail Blazers a second Asian-born player alongside center Yang Hansen, forming a notable pairing as Portland continues to build its international pipeline.
Lee is set to represent South Korea in the Asian Games in Japan before reporting to Portland to begin training camp.
Lee said he wants to "give everything on the court" for the national team at the tournament.
