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South Korean men's basketball star Lee Hyun-jung will keep pursuing his path to the NBA. Pictured is Lee (center) dribbling past Philippine defenders during a men's national basketball team evaluation game held at the KT Sonicboom Arena in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 6th. / Yonhap

South Korean men's basketball star Lee Hyun-jung continues to knock on the door of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

According to his agency, Epic Sports, on the 7th, Lee signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the 2026–2027 season. An Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year, non-guaranteed contract paying the league minimum salary that gives a player the chance to prove their skills at the club's training camp rather than promising a spot on the regular roster. Even if a player does not ultimately make the final roster, they can receive a separate bonus by spending a designated period with the team's minor league affiliate in the NBA G League, making it one of the common paths taken by players aiming to enter the NBA.

Under this contract, Lee will be able to participate in Portland's training camp. The agency explained that if he falls short of making the final roster, he can continue seeking a roster spot with Portland's G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, and could see his deal converted to a two-way contract—allowing him to split time between Portland and the G League—if he proves his ability with Rip City.

Ahead of the preliminary round for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Lee had reportedly discussed his future options with other clubs, including the NBA's Boston Celtics and Nagasaki Velca of Japan's B.League, where he played last season.

                                                                                                        Cho Seong-joon