Damion Lee, a player that signed a two-way deal with the Golden State Warriors in the offseason, continues to shine at the league’s highest level.
The Golden State Warriors were without Stephen Curry at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were out as well. It didn’t seem like a recipe for success.
However, there weren’t any problems as the offense ran through Damion Lee, and it flowed smoothly for the most part.
Lee and Ky Bowman initially signed with the team on two-way contracts but were so dominant that the team quickly converted them once those limitations on the two-way deals were about to be reached and the spots opened up.
Well, they’re lucky they decided to keep Lee around as he’s finally starting to prove his worth. Lee put up 24 points as the Warriors routed the Sixers at home. Lee and Paschall combined for 47 of the team’s 118.
This isn’t just a one-time showing either. Lee has continued to be a scoring machine.
While his defensive is oftentimes called into question by critics, the 27-year-old, 6-foot-5 shooting guard is averaging 12.5 points to along with 34 starts this season. This was his 11th 20-point outing. He hasn’t been an overly noticeable liability defensively either.
Following the game, Paschall kept it real, calling Lee “one of the best people I’ve ever met.”
“First things first he’s just a great dude. Off the court, one of the best people I’ve ever met.”
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 8, 2020
“After last game people were just slandering him... I didn’t like it. I feel like you always gotta have your teammates back.”
Eric Paschall on Damion Lee 🙌💯 pic.twitter.com/KHcBW6U295
That’s quite the praise from a rookie that talks as though he’s been in the league for years. However, having that type of praise just reaffirms what type of culture a team that just hit their 15th win of the season still possesses after such extended greatness over the past half a decade.
They care about winning, yes, but they also care about each other. At the crux of their culture is Lee, and combine his solid scoring and playmaking with the fact that he’s loved by his teammates and you can rest assured that he’ll be on this roster next season.
Lee continues to improve, and he’s shown that he can play at the highest level. He’s proving his worth, and it’s paying off for both parties.