A role perfectly suited for Lee Hyun-jung: What New Orleans wants is '3-point shooting + defense'... even his defensive weakness has changed

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korean national basketball team star Lee Hyun-jung (26) faces another critical test in his bid to join the National Basketball Association (NBA). Both the New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics have invited him to their mini-camps. Notably, the type of player New Orleans seeks aligns closely with Lee's strengths.

Yahoo Sports reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "New Orleans is testing South Korean basketball star Lee Hyun-jung."

Earlier, sports agency Epic Sports stated on the 9th that "Lee Hyun-jung received mini-camp invitations from both the NBA's New Orleans and Boston," adding that "both teams currently have one open two-way contract slot each, and they aim to secure a final NBA roster spot through these camps."

Departing for the U.S. on the 6th, Lee Hyun-jung will participate in the New Orleans mini-camp from the 8th to the 13th. He is then scheduled to join the Boston mini-camp from the 16th to the 20th.

This is not merely a training participation; it is a crucial opportunity to compete for the remaining two-way contract slots at both teams.

Yahoo Sports first praised Lee's perimeter shooting ability. The outlet stated, "Lee Hyun-jung is a wing player equipped with shooting skills," noting that "this alone makes him worthy of the Pelicans' attention."

This summer, Lee participated in the NBA Summer League as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. In five games, he averaged 9.2 points and 3.6 rebounds. His field goal percentage was 35.5%, three-point shooting percentage was 33.3%, and free throw percentage was 82.8%.

While his potential was recognized in the Summer League, securing a two-way contract with San Antonio immediately proved difficult. At that time, San Antonio had already filled all three available two-way contract slots. However, another opportunity soon arose for Lee: New Orleans and Boston sequentially proposed mini-camp participation.

Yahoo Sports evaluated that "Lee Hyun-jung demonstrated some potential to succeed in the NBA through the Summer League, but there are still clear areas requiring improvement."

It further noted that "his high free throw percentage is a positive signal indicating potential for improved shooting efficiency in other areas moving forward."

However, to survive the contract competition, Lee must earn high marks not only in shooting but also in defense. Yahoo Sports explained that "while New Orleans' coaching staff places greater emphasis on defense," they also acknowledged that "the team still requires scoring ability."

It further projected that "a player capable of contributing both offensively and defensively will gain a competitive advantage."

Fortunately, there is positive news for Lee. Recently, during the Summer League, he displayed improved performance even in defense, which had previously been cited as his weakness.

Yahoo Sports also positively evaluated defensive metrics, stating that "the factor making Lee Hyun-jung's NBA prospects most promising may be his recording of 1.2 steals per game."

Japanese basketball specialist outlet 'Basketball King' also focused on Lee's defensive development. On the 16th of last month, against the Utah Jazz, Lee recorded 22 points and 5 rebounds, including four three-pointers, delivering an outstanding performance. While it was a game where his offense exploded, Basketball King attributed significance to the changes shown in his defense.

The outlet stated, "Lee Hyun-jung demonstrated his presence even in defense, which had been pointed out as a weakness," adding that "he recorded two steals and showed relentless defensive effort throughout the game, including blocking an opponent's fast break in the final moments."

This aligns with the conditions New Orleans seeks. If he can add reliable three-point shooting to his improved defense, Lee's competitiveness could rise significantly.

Yahoo Sports predicted that "if Lee Hyun-jung demonstrates consistent three-point shooting during the camp and proves an active defensive presence, there is a possibility he will secure an opportunity."

It further positively projected that "if Lee shows strong performance in this mini-camp, it would not be a poor choice for the Pelicans to award him the final two-way contract slot."

Meanwhile, due to his NBA mini-camp schedule, Lee Hyun-jung will not participate in the originally planned South Korea-Japan national team away exhibition matches scheduled for the 15th and 16th in Tokyo, Japan.

The Korean Basketball Association (KBA) determined that Lee's bid to join the NBA could be a meaningful opportunity not only for the player personally but also for strengthening South Korea's international competitiveness in basketball. Thus, they decided to respect his intention to participate in the mini-camp. Both the association and the player side conducted sufficient prior consultations regarding national team schedules and coordinated plans so that Lee would immediately join the national team upon completion of the mini-camp schedule.

Accordingly, Lee Hyun-jung is scheduled to travel to Lebanon on the 20th after concluding his Boston mini-camp schedule to rejoin the national team. He then plans to actively contribute by fulfilling all scheduled national team commitments, including Window 4 of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Epic Sports, Lee Hyun-jung's management company Kim Byeong-uk (CEO), stated that "both team executives and staff evaluated Lee's Summer League performance very positively," adding, "Given that these are precious opportunities with only a few slots remaining, we believe he will successfully conclude both mini-camps and inevitably make his debut on the NBA stage he has long dreamed of."

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*This content was translated by AI.