INTRODUCTION: Growing up outside Chicago, Kailan Lee played AAU ball and met a lot of great mentors. As a student at the University of Rochester, he is using his business studies and involvement with the UR Investment Banking Program to become a mentor for other students.

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How did you become involved with basketball in the first place?
I grew up playing basketball, baseball, and soccer pretty much year-round and it wasn't until 7th or 8th grade where I decided to really focus on hoops. When thinking about how I got involved, I give a lot of credit to this team I played on called the Memorial Park Wildcats out of Hillside IL. We traveled all over for AAU games, and I was fortunate to grow up playing with a really solid group of guys. 
 
What made it attractive?
I think the first thing, and it is something that you hear all the time, but I have always looked at basketball as a craft or as an art beyond just being a sport. Besides that, I just had the most fun playing the game, love it as a form of expression, and think there are a ton of different ways to develop your own play style. 
 
Did you play any AAU ball while you were in high school?
 Yeah, I played AAU in high school on a couple of different teams throughout the years. Started with the Illinois Wolves, got cut, bounced around a bit after that, and finished playing with NLP. Loved it all. Got to meet some great people, a lot of mentors who I'm grateful for, and got to play some great hoops. 
 
You wear #0. Is there a significance to the number?
 My favorite number is 8 but I'm pretty sure it can't be worn in college hoops or else I for sure would've been rockin' that. I guess 0 for me represented a fresh start of sorts coming into college. From high school to my freshman year of college I had 3 shoulder surgeries with the most recent one being the summer before my freshman year at the UofR. After sitting out and recovering that year I just wanted to go in fresh and switch things up. Other than that, my favorite players are D'Lo (D'Angelo Russell) and Dame (Damian Lillard) and they both wear 0, so there's that, too.
 
Is there a game that sticks out in your mind from last season?
For me, definitely UChicago at UChicago on February 2nd. Love playing at home in Chicago because a bunch of family and friends always come out. 
 
You finish a game – away or in the Palestra – in the UAA and you know you've played a tough opponent, don't you?
Yeah the UAA is great for that. A lot of guys that love to compete. Doesn't matter if it is home or away you know that on any given night you gotta come out ready to play. 
 
As you rush downcourt on a fastbreak with teammates in support, what keys are you reading? There's not a lot of time to plan, is there?
I try to just play in the flow of the game. I think my first read is our transition offense because we have a ton of different options and reads out of that. Definitely always looking for (Ryan) Algier ahead, Brian (Amabilino Perez) or Ross (Gang) in the open court or Trent (Noordsij) spotted up from three. 
 
What led you to the University of Rochester?
Going to Prep school at Phillips Academy and having that extra year really allowed me to work towards what I wanted out of my college experience. I knew I wanted to play somewhere in a competitive league but was also super focused on the academic piece. Rochester has been a great fit for that. 
 
You have a double major of Business and Political Science. What do you like about each specialty?
 With the UofR being a liberal arts school, I didn't feel bounded when choosing a major coming in. I am interested in Business/Finance but, also have always enjoyed the writing portion and critical thinking aspect that comes from the political science courses that I've taken here. 
 
Are you involved in any campus groups tied to your studies?
Outside of basketball, I am a part of The UR Investment Banking Program (URIB). Essentially, we are a group on campus that helps peer undergraduate students navigate the investment banking recruiting process by assigning mentors, providing interview prep, and connecting them with UofR alumni in the finance industry. I've had a ton of great mentors over the years and it's been really cool to pay it forward and help other students interested in finance on campus.