Former Kentucky players Ashton Hagans and Marcus Lee are joining forces in Australia’s top-level NBL league.
Hagans and Lee are both on the roster for the Cairns Taipans.
Former Louisville shooting guard Reyne Smith and ex-Tennessee big man Admiral Schofield are also on the Taipans roster that was unveiled earlier this week.
Here’s what the announcement says about Hagans and Lee:
Ashton Hagans will be the Taipans’ starting point guard this season, bringing experience from multiple G League teams and most recently, a campaign in China with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. The fringe NBA floor general signed a two-way contract with Minnesota in 2020 and with Portland in February 2024, playing for the Raptors 905, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Greensboro Swarm and Rip City Remix in between. With Charlotte’s affiliate, Hagans post a triple-double including 22 assists in his first game for the Swarm, tied for second-most in G League history.
Marcus Lee becomes the first Taipans’ import since 2018 to be signed from another NBL team. The Californian has experience from across the world, playing in the G League as well as in Italy, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Spain, Poland with pre-season stints in Greece and Israel. He first joined the NBL with United in November 2022, before signing with the Jackjumpers the following year for the full season. The centre was part of their maiden Championship squad alongside Jack McVeigh and returned to Melbourne for 24-25, averaging 6.9 and 5.8 rebounds.
