Marcus Lee coming back to Melbourne United for NBL25 season

Melbourne United is excited to announce that Marcus Lee is set to return to the club on a one-year contract for the NBL25 season.

Lee first played for United in NBL23, joining the team mid-season and helping orchestrate a 10-3 finish to the season with averages of 9.1 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.

In his previous stint with MU, the 210cm center recorded one of the most efficient seasons in NBL history, registering an Offensive Rating of 138 and a Net Rating of 35, per Spatial Jam.

Having spent last season as a member of the NBL Championship-winning Tasmania JackJumpers, Lee said he is thrilled to be coming back to Melbourne United.

“This is the place where I’ve felt most comfortable and most at home,” Lee said of Melbourne.

“I only spent half a season here but I’ve always had that urge to come back and achieve great things with United. This offseason, I knew I wanted to come back and contend for the playoffs with Melbourne.

“I’ve always felt so much love from this city, even last season. The organisation and the fans have always welcomed me with open arms so I can’t wait to get back.”

An elite fit on the floor around United other stars, Lee has showcased his ability to influence winning in all areas of the game.

Head Coach Dean Vickerman believes the former Kentucky Wildcat will transition seamlessly back into Melbourne’s lineup and culture.

“When he left the club we talked through about how much we valued him as a person and as an asset on the court,” Vickerman explained. 

“We made it clear that if there was a possibility down the road we wanted him to be a United player again.

“He was an amazing culture fit. We brought him in mid-season and he was immediately a ‘glue’ import which is quite rare. He was able to bring our group together and be an elite connector within our team. He found a way to bring harmony to our group which resulted in a lot of wins.

“We wanted a real defensive anchor. Rim protection and rebounding were both priorities and Marcus has been elite in those categories throughout his time in the league. There’s some elite scoring centers in the league this season so his ability to be able to sit down and guard those key guys is crucial.

“Then there’s his mobility. He’s a great rim runner, he can roll really well out of the on-ball, his vertical threat is going to open up opportunities for our shooters around the floor.”

Lee joins Chris Goulding, Matthew Dellavedova, Shea Ili, Jack White, Ian Clark, Kyle Bowen, Flynn Cameron, Tanner Krebs and Rob Loe, as well as Development Players Tom Koppens, Akech Aliir and Campbell Blogg for the NBL25 season.