Kurk Lee Jr. becomes Spiker's first Drexel commit

Stephen Pianovich (@SPianovich)
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Zach Spiker’s first commit at Drexel is one the Dragons need.

Kurk Lee Jr., a 2016 point guard from Baltimore, committed to Drexel on Monday. Lee’s commitment helps soften the blow of the Dragons losing guards Terrell Allen and Sammy Mojica, who decided to transfer after Bruiser Flint was dismissed as the Dragons’ head coach in March.

While Lee’s physical stats (5-foot-8, 140 pounds) don’t jump off the page, he put up impressive numbers in his senior season at St. Frances Academy in 2015-16. According to the Baltimore Sun, Lee averaged 16.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds in his senior year and was named to the newspaper’s All-Metro first team.

Lee – who also had interest from Western Kentucky and Maryland Eastern Shore -- becomes the third member of the Dragons’ 2016 class, joining Sam Green and Jeremy Peck, who both committed last fall when Flint was the Drexel head coach. What Spiker’s program will look like in its first season is starting to become clearer as the former Army head coach also introduced his assistants late last week.

CoBL caught up with Lee to talk about his commitment. Here’s a transcript of our Q & A:

CoBL: So what was the biggest selling point on Drexel for you?

Lee: “It was the new coaches. When I went to go visit, I felt like we had a bond and developed trust throughout that time. What he was telling me was that relationships with his players come first and the education part is there, too. That’s what I liked about coach Spiker and I feel like I’ll be in good hands for the next four years.”

CoBL: You’re the first player to commit to coach Spiker at Drexel. What were your conversations with him like leading up to this commitment?

“When he first contacted me, he’s a real down-to-earth person, I could feel that even though I’ve never played for him. He’s family oriented and overall he’s a great person, a great person to have a conversation with. I’m looking forward to playing for him.”

CoBL: What were your impressions of Drexel’s campus when you visited?

Lee: “I enjoyed it. I’m from Baltimore, so Philly is a lot like Baltimore and I enjoy how the campus is in an urban, downtown area.”

CoBL: Drexel also lost a few guards, including its starting point guard, to transfers. Was the opportunity to come in and compete for playing time something that factored into your decision as well?

Lee: “Yes of course. That played a major part.”

CoBL: For people who haven’t seen you play, how would you define your game?

Lee: “I’m a floor general, pass-first point guard and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win. I like making sure everyone around me gets the ball. I want to bring a winning mentality to the program.”

CoBL: In high school, you put up a lot of big numbers, though you’re not as big as most D-I recruits. What allowed you to do that?

Lee: My work ethic, and having heart. Heart takes me a long way. I work out every day and craft my skill set. That’s basically it.”