A Lexington native from Henry Clay High School who was one of four seniors on the 1978 national championship team — alongside Jack Givens, Rick Robey, and Mike Phillips — Lee had already tasted the pain of losing the 1975 title game to UCLA as a freshman, making the 1978 championship a redemption three years in the making. He averaged 11.3 points on 56% shooting as the sixth man on the title team and contributed crucial baskets in the championship game victory over Duke. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics and later dominated the CBA, averaging 22.3 points per game.