Check this out. Paul Lee is a three-time PBA champ, a Finals MVP winner, a Best Player of the Conference awardee, and the reigning All-Star Game MVP. He still has a few more awards but they're just too many to mention. The point is all that greatness can be traced to his college roots.
In UAAP Season 72, which ran from 2009 to 2010, Lee burst onto the scene, suddenly making the UE Red Warriors a main attraction in collegiate basketball. It all happened when late basketball coach Lawrence Chongson took over as UE coach and handed over the reins to the Tondo, Manila native.
Understandably, 2009 is a year that holds a special place in the heart of the Magnolia Hotshots star. That’s when he began his road to winning the UAAP Most Improved Player plum and his first of two Mythical Five nods. It also marked the beginning of the Red Warriors’ road to the finals, wherein they lost to the Ateneo Blue Eagles in three games. UE hasn't returned to the finals since then.
On Tuesday, Lee looked back on his legendary UAAP campaign by reposting a group photo of UE’s 2009-2010 squad. Noticeable faces include Chiongson, Pari Llagas, Rudy Lingganay, Paul Zamar, and Raffy Reyes. All four players made it to the PBA, with Zamar still playing for the NorthPort Batang Pier.
During the late 2000s, the Recto-based squad had a bevy of talented guards such as Zamar, Reyes, Lingganay, Marcy Arellano, Paulo Hubalde, and James Martinez. But it was the young gun who would later be known as the Lethal Weapon who went on to become the best of them all.
When not getting buckets for Magnolia, Lee can be seen on the Red Warriors bench this UAAP Season 86, lending a hand to coach Jack Santiago.
(PM)