NBA winner Damion Lee returns to Calvert Hall to rejoice his Baltimore beginnings

The resilient path taken by 2010 Calvert Corridor graduate and NBA champion Damion Lee contains a Connecticut prep college, two faculties and time in the G League before breaking into the league with the Atlanta Hawks in 2018.

In June, the 29-calendar year-previous guard arrived at the pinnacle of his career when he assisted the Golden Condition Warriors seize the NBA title with a 4-2 collection earn more than the Boston Celtics.

On Tuesday, he was back at Calvert Hall, savoring one more distinctive night with family members, buddies, previous teammates and coaches as they celebrated a substantial college vocation that incorporated a Baltimore Catholic League championship in Lee’s senior time.

When Lee built it to the microphone, times soon after getting to be the fourth Cardinals participant to have his NBA jersey emblazoned on the Alumni Memorial Health and fitness center wall, he gushed: “That’s mad! That up there is serious insane!”

Lee, who in July signed a one particular-calendar year contract to engage in for the Phoenix Suns soon after averaging 7.4 details, 3.2 rebounds and 1. assists for Golden State very last period, observed his way back to his superior school health club with a smashing achievement story primarily based on tricky get the job done and perception.

“It’s dope — I love it,” Lee said. “It’s a make a difference of just working challenging. I consider which is the most important factor in lifetime — whatever your goals, you chase them, you double down on them and you never allow anyone prevent you from them. Getting assistance I feel has generally been the greatest point for me — guidance from my relatives, good friends, coaches, everyone that has constantly pushed me and designed absolutely sure to maintain me on the ideal track.”

Lee transferred to Calvert Hall from Mount Saint Joseph in his junior year and proved a beneficial closing piece in assisting the Cardinals assert the BCL championship as a senior in 2010.

Earning All-Metro next-staff honors, he was a intense defender and rebounder who had a knack for earning well timed baskets. Previous Calvert Hall mentor John Bauersfeld reported the young guard’s intangibles proved a lot more valuable.

“I consider what he brought to us when he arrived to Calvert Hall was amazing power. He’s a excellent individuality to be about — a incredibly favourable, glass fifty percent-total guy and his outlook on factors is just so optimistic,” Bauersfeld said. “He introduced us a small extra perception in ourselves that we can beat the teams we experienced been battling against, like St. Joe and St. Frances and even Towson Catholic again in the working day.”

Lee soaked in his particular evening, accumulating with some of his former Calvert Hall teammates for a team picture and making the most of the company of his beloved ones, which includes his wife, Sydel Curry-Lee, and 9-thirty day period-aged son, Daxon. Sydel is the youthful sister of Steph and Seth Curry and daughter of Dell Curry, earning Lee aspect of a person of the most well known families in basketball heritage.

“It’s awesome to see how it all transpired — that was 12 many years ago,” explained Lee, who played at Drexel and Louisville in advance of turning pro. “I usually explain to persons when I was graduating large faculty, if you would have informed me I’d be in the NBA and even some thing like this [jersey ceremony] would transpire, there’s no genuine belief in it, since for me, it was just about finding to university. How can I get to higher education … it wasn’t to come to be an NBA participant. That was just a little something that transpired together the way.

“I’m thankful, I’m blessed and I’m here and I really don't program to stop at any time quickly. I received to keep on doing the job, keep on doing the job to make certain I can get improved and be there for the prolonged haul.”

On the wall, Lee joined Duane Ferrell (Course of 1984), Juan Dixon (1994) and Cardinals 2nd-12 months coach Gary Neal (2002) as 4 Calvert Corridor graduates who arrived at their top goal of participating in in the NBA.

“To have the style of vocation Damion has had just demonstrates a good deal about his character, his perseverance, his discipline, his do the job ethic, and that’s essential,” Neal reported. “When [current high school players] come in below and they see those jerseys on the wall, that means a large amount. It implies you’ve accomplished a thing at the highest amount in what you established out to do. Damion has experienced a fantastic, good profession.”

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