"Korean Star and 'Korean Curry' Lee Hyun-jung stamps his name on the NBA... Scores 11 points in second Summer League game

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Hyun-jung (26), who is challenging to join the National Basketball Association (NBA), delivered an improved performance in his second Summer League game.

Playing for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Summer League, Lee Hyun-jung participated in the 2026 NBA California Classic Summer League match against the Golden State Warriors held on the 6th (Korean time) at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, U.S. On this day, Lee played for 17 minutes and 11 seconds, recording 11 points including two 3-pointers and 2 rebounds.

Previously, in his first Summer League game against the Miami Heat on the 4th, Lee played about 15 minutes, scoring 5 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. In the second game, he increased both his playing time and scoring, establishing a stronger presence.

Lee Hyun-jung's performance also drew attention locally. The NBA G-League introduced him via SNS on this day, stating, "Korean star Lee Hyun-jung appeared as a bench player in an NBA Summer League game for the San Antonio Spurs and scored 11 points in 17 minutes."

It further added, "The 201cm forward played in the G-League and was nicknamed 'Korean Curry' during his time at Davidson University."

This marks Lee Hyun-jung's third attempt to join the NBA Summer League. Although he has participated in the Summer League twice before, he did not receive sufficient playing opportunities. However, the atmosphere this time is different. It is reported that the San Antonio Spurs showed significant interest in Lee Hyun-jung.

According to Epic Sports, Lee Hyun-jung's agency, several NBA teams expressed interest in him, and among them, San Antonio was ultimately chosen as his destination.

If he delivers a strong performance throughout the Summer League continuing until the 19th, it could bring him one step closer to his dream of entering the NBA.

Lee Hyun-jung is having his best year yet. As the ace for Nagasaki Velca in Japan's B.League during the 2025-2026 season, he led the team to its first-ever unified championship in club history. In 57 regular-season games, he averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, ranking first overall in the league in both 3-point shooting percentage (47.9%) and total 3-pointers made (187).

He was also strong in the playoffs. In the quarterfinals' second game, Lee recorded a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds, and in the decisive third game of the finals where the championship was on the line, he led his team to victory with 23 points and 5 rebounds, including three 3-pointers.

He secured the B.League Best Five, Asia Quota Choi U-su-seon (수상), and Championship MVP, completely making the Japanese league his own stage. Even immediately after winning the B.League title, Lee Hyun-jung continued training to prepare for the NBA Summer League.

Previously, regarding the driving force behind his relentless challenges to join the NBA, Lee said, "Because it is my dream," adding, "I am not doing this because someone told me to; I can do this because it is my dream."

He also expressed a sense of responsibility toward Korean basketball. Lee stated, "I want to show that Korean basketball has grown this much. I am so grateful to the fans who always support me wherever I go. The reason I can continue to challenge my dreams is thanks to the love of the fans. I will work harder in the future to become a player whom Korean fans can be proud of," conveying his sincere feelings.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.