James Lee, 1975 (Basketball) - Syracuse University Athletics

A three-year letterwinner, Jim Lee finished fifth in the nation in free-throw percentage as a sophomore in 1972-73. As a junior, he led the team in assists. He was captain of the 1974-75 team, the first at SU to reach the NCAA Final Four. Lee was a Helms Foundation All-American, an ECAC All-East All-Star and was on the NCAA Eastern Regional and Final Four All-Tournament Teams. He was the 1975 NCAA Tournament’s leading scorer and winner of the Lew Andreas Most Valuable Player Award at SU. He graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and education and was drafted by the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. He later signed with the ABA’s San Antonio Spurs.

Lee taught high school math for three years in Syracuse while playing semipro basketball in the late 1970s. He was a partner in three area businesses and a licensed real estate broker during the 1980s. For the past 19 years, Lee has been involved in the energy business, operating out of Syracuse. He is currently a regional marketing manager of wholesale fuels for Noco Energy Corp.

Lee’s honors include the Section Four Hall of Fame (1981), Vic Hanson Medal of Excellence (1984), SU’s All Century Basketball Team (2000), Pastime Athletic Club Sportsman of the Year (2000), Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame (2002) and Onondaga County Veterans Council Humanitarian of the Year (2007).

His community involvement includes the Kidney Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Pastime Athletic Club and Geddes Little League. He chairs the Harold Lee Open, a golf tournament in honor of his father that raises money to benefit disabled American veterans throughout the country. He is also a volunteer at Francis House in Syracuse and a trustee of the Eagle Association of Central New York. Lee is a lifetime member of the Varsity Club.