Kentucky Basketball Preview: Marcus Lee

Marcus Lee is known for coming into a game when he’s needed the most and having an immediate impact wherever he is needed. He’s almost like Superman. He knows his role on the team each year and is a huge supporter of his teammates. Lee is a fan favorite due to his funny personality, relationship with children and radiant smile.

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Lee is 6-9 and 224-pounds this season, he’s added on some weight over the summer, which will only help his game in the long run. Lee should see more playing time as a junior than he did as a sophomore, but he will still likely be coming off the bench. As a teammate who knows his position, Lee is going to be who and what motivates the younger guys in his position to play harder and beat him for playing time. He will push them to be their best in practice, which all in all helps Lee and the other players, creating a strong team.

Not only is Lee one of the best teammates you can ask for, he’s one of the most gracious, caring people you’ll ever see. Kyle Tucker of the USA Today (and Lexington Herald-Leader) wrote this last season about Lee, it’s a touching story, but gives you insight on just who Lee is as a person.

"“I cried as I read the letter,” Kim Bennett wrote to Calipari. She’d phoned her stepson and shared Lee’s words to him. “When I finished, he was as high as a kite. He couldn’t believe Marcus would write him. He immediately got out of bed. The next night, he was on the sidelines cheering and encouraging his soccer team. … It’s amazing what a few kind words can do.”Just like that, Lee’s secret was out. It would’ve gotten out soon anyway. Bennett’s was just one of many emails and letters that began pouring in to Calipari and the UK athletic department, all with the same general theme: You won’t believe what Marcus Lee did. His coaches and teammates had no idea he’d been moonlighting as a do-gooder, that he was on a mission to make the world a better place “one smile at a time.” Now they know.“Why didn’t you tell us you were doing these things?” Lee remembers Calipari asking him. “And my first reply was, ‘What do you mean?’ I thought it was just a natural thing to help people, and I didn’t think it was a big thing to tell anybody.”"

You may see him on the bench, you may see him on the court, there is no telling what his numbers will be, all you need to know is he will give it 100% the entire season.

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