# Paul Lee (basketball)

Paul John Dalistan Lee (born February 14, 1989) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was drafted 2nd overall by Rain or Shine in the 2011 PBA draft.

## Early life and education

Paul John Lee was born on February 14, 1989, to Edwin Lee and Helen Dalistan. Due to his parents' being unmarried at the time of his birth, his legal surname at birth was his mother's maiden surname, Dalistan. His parents would get married on October of the following year.
Lee was born in Tondo, Manila, to a family of three children. While his paternal ancestors of Chinese roots had a history of being involved in the lumber industry since the 19th century, Lee's family did not inherit much wealth. Paul John's family lived as a lower middle class household, with his father working as a pedicab driver and his mother briefly working as a domestic worker in the Middle East. His family would avoid seeking financial assistance from their other relatives.
As a young teenager, Lee would already play basketball and join local competitions in Tondo.
Lee would attend high school at the San Sebastian College – Recoletos. He would move to the University of the East to pursue a college education under a full scholarship.

## Amateur career
### High school

When he was a high school freshman in San Sebastian College – Recoletos, he was discovered when he was playing in the school’s intramurals. The coach spotted him, made him try out and placed him in the lineup the following year. The San Sebastian Staglets would go on to win the NCAA Juniors Championship in his senior year.

### College

After his high school career ended, Lee accounts that no university team gave him an invitation to play for their team. He would receive an endorsement from the father of his San Sebastian teammate Raphy Reyes to play for the University of the East.
In 2007, he was recruited by then coach Dindo Pumaren of the University of the East, which at that time had formidable backcourt players like Raphy Reyes, Paul Zamar, James Martinez and Marcy Arellano. His role during that time was with the second squad. He was known as the 6th man, the main replacement for then King Warrior Marcy Arellano. In 2009, his game flourished when Lawrence Chongson took over to coach the team. Chongson later became his adviser, and currently an agent, until his death in 2021.
He received the Most Improved Player award in UAAP Season 72. He then became a part of Mythical Team during the UAAP Season 73.
He also played for Cobra Energy Drink Iron Men in the Philippine Basketball League and later in the PBA Developmental League coached by Chongson.
In his last year in UE, he was playing with an injury, but he didn't want anybody to know about it.

## Professional career
### Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (2011–2016)

He was picked 2nd overall by Rain or Shine during the 2011 PBA draft. In his PBA debut, Paul Lee recorded 17 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes of playing time on a 107–100 win over the Alaska Aces. The following game, Paul Lee had another strong game having recorded 17 points and 5 rebounds in 30 minutes of playing time in a 100–94 win over the B-Meg Llamados. By the end of the 2011–12 PBA season, he was awarded Rookie of the Year, and won his first ever PBA championship with the Elasto Painters, though he did not play in the championship series due to injury.
In 2014, he requested the Rain or Shine management to trade him by personally calling up coach Yeng Guiao. However, Guiao and the Rain or Shine management are hell bent on keeping him at all cost. After Lee returned from Spain following his Gilas stint in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, he went to a sabbatical by not showing up to Rain or Shine practice or even talking to the media, creating speculations of him pushing through signing up with another team. A few days later, he finally showed up, and after a heart-to-heart talk with coach Yeng Guiao, he finally decided to stay with the Elasto Painters. On September 19, 2014, he, together with his agent Lawrence Chongson, signed a 2-year max deal to stay with Rain or Shine.

### Star / Magnolia Hotshots (2016–present)

On October 13, 2016, Paul Lee was sent to Star Hotshots on a blockbuster trade in exchange for star shooting guard James Yap in one of the biggest deal in PBA history that led to shocking reactions from basketball fans.

## PBA career statistics

As of the end of 2023–24 season

### Season-by-season averages

| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| 2011–12 | Rain or Shine | 46 | 27.5 | .465 | .344 | .826 | 3.7 | 4.1 | .8 | .0 | 13.9 |
| 2012–13 | Rain or Shine | 38 | 25.5 | .374 | .331 | .717 | 4.2 | 3.6 | .8 | .1 | 11.6 |
| 2013–14 | Rain or Shine | 61 | 25.8 | .403 | .362 | .824 | 3.2 | 2.7 | .7 | .1 | 13.0 |
| 2014–15 | Rain or Shine | 53 | 27.6 | .409 | .395 | .843 | 4.5 | 3.3 | .8 | .0 | 15.6 |
| 2015–16 | Rain or Shine | 35 | 21.2 | .418 | .319 | .929 | 2.7 | 2.5 | .6 | — | 10.3 |
| 2016–17 | Star | 51 | 29.8 | .387 | .331 | .847 | 3.7 | 3.3 | .8 | .0 | 12.5 |
| 2017–18 | Magnolia | 52 | 28.9 | .388 | .357 | .833 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 1.1 | .1 | 15.3 |
| 2019 | Magnolia | 53 | 27.7 | .396 | .335 | .859 | 4.4 | 3.6 | .5 | .1 | 14.2 |
| 2020 | Magnolia | 12 | 30.4 | .447 | .404 | .889 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.1 | .1 | 19.7 |
| 2021 | Magnolia | 41 | 29.5 | .356 | .298 | .873 | 2.9 | 2.6 | .7 | .1 | 15.5 |
| 2022–23 | Magnolia | 44 | 27.4 | .395 | .405 | .902 | 3.1 | 2.4 | .5 | .1 | 14.8 |
| 2023–24 | Magnolia | 34 | 27.8 | .374 | .345 | .905 | 3.1 | 3.4 | .4 | .0 | 11.1 |
| Career | Career | 520 | 27.3 | .397 | .353 | .848 | 3.6 | 3.2 | .7 | .1 | 13.7 |

## National team career

Lee was part of the Philippine national team debuting at the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup. Due to the circumstances of his birth, Lee competed as Paul John Dalistan, using his mother's maiden surname. He led the team to a bronze medal finish in the Asian tournament after converting three crucial free-throws with no time remaining against host China.
Lee also competed in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2014 Asian Games but injuries caused him to get sidelined the following year.

## Personal life

Lee is married to Rubie Chua with whom he has a daughter.