24 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1.
NEWS
JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2005
Senior guard Mike Lee takes the ball down the court in the first half against Vermont Dec.8. Lee declined to play for the Harlem Globetrotters, but has hopes of finding an opportunity with an international team.
Kansan file photo
▼ MEN'S BASKETBALL
Lee passes up offer
BY ASHLEY MICHAELS amichaels@kansan.com KANSAN STAFF WRITER
It's no secret that when a player attends the University of Kansas to play men's basketball, he hopes to leave with a nice signing bonus and a contract to play in the NBA.
But former guard Mike Lee left with the hope that he could just keep playing basketball.
"I just want to go wherever someone's going to offer me a job," Lee said.
Lee said he planned to sit down and watch the June 28 draft, not so much for his own sake, but because three of his former teammates, Wayne Simien, Aaron Miles and Keith Langford, were anxiously waiting to see where they were going, when they were going or whether they were going anywhere at all.
"I'm going to watch the draft, it should be interesting to see where Aaron, Keith and Wayne go," Lee said. "I know some other guys in the draft, so I'll be watching this one a little closer than others."
No doubt Lee was watching, though, because his name was automatically entered in the draft along with the rest of the NCAA Division I men's basketball seniors' names. But he didn't have any expectations concerning himself in the draft.
"I would totally be surprised if somehow my name got called," he said.
Even though his hopes weren't high and he wasn't on the bubble like some of his fellow Jayhawk seniors, Lee still has options.
Shortly after he graduated from the University, Lee was offered a contract by the Harlem Globetrotters. The offer would have covered him from June 20 through the team's training camp at which point they sign the players with bigger, better deals, Lee said.
"Mike is the type of guy that any CEO of any company would want working for him," Self said. "He is loyal, dependable and a hard-worker. He will have the chance to play basketball for a long time if he chooses to."
egger, better deals. Lee turned down the Harlem Globetrotters' offer.
"I felt like I wanted to play competitive basketball," Lee said. "Some of what the Globetrotters do is competitive, some is not. It's more for entertainment. I don't see myself doing that, at least not right now in my career."
Since he turned down the Globetrotters, he has decided to attempt an international career in basketball. Right now he is talking to some agents about finding a place for him on an overseas team.
Whatever he does, his former coach, Bill Self, has no doubt he will succeed.
— Edited by Erin M. Droste