CUSA Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Jul 19, 2023

Mar 19, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; North Texas Mean Green guard James Reese (0) celebrates with guard Mardrez McBride (1) and guard Javion Hamlet (3) during overtime against the Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

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CUSA Basketball UAB Blazers forward William Lee Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

22. William Lee

Lee is a 6’9 big man from Selma, Alabama who played a pair of seasons each under Jerod Haase and Robert Ehsan at UAB. His contributions for the Blazers were significant and he helped lead them to the NCAA Tournament and a host of other on-court success during his four years in Birmingham.

That trip to the Big Dance came as a freshman and Lee had a double-double in their upset win over Iowa State in the first round. After winning the regular season crown as a sophomore, UAB sadly settled for the NIT, but Lee continued his impact. His junior year was perhaps his best, averaging 13.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game, numbers he’d nearly match the following season, which was another 20-win campaign at UAB.

A standout early as a freshman, Lee would win CUSA Defensive Player of the Year honors as both a sophomore and junior, finishing among the national lead in blocks in that third collegiate campaign. Lee wasn’t the flashy scorer, but he got the job done on both sides of the court and was an above-average rebounder too. He earned a pair of All-CUSA honors, played in an NCAA Tournament win, and was the important frontcourt piece for the Blazers for several years.