Lyle Spencer, a Herald Examiner colleague who covered UCLA, posted this on Facebook about the passing of Greg Lee:
Wounded again with news of the passing of Greg Lee, the best and brightest on the Santa Monica sand and UCLA campus during the glorious early ‘70s. I met Greg through mutual friends on the eve of his freshman year and he brought buddy Bill Walton to my garage apartment by Santa Monica College, where I worked as PR guy while attending UCLA. Bill was so shy he hardly spoke but it wasn’t necessary. The way Greg described his game I thought he must be exaggerating, but Bill soon showed me it was on target, like every Lee pass.
Greg was a lightning rod, full of life, a joy to be with. One of my favorite memories was hooping with him one Saturday at Lincoln Jr. High, holding the court as long as we wanted. I was in a rare zone as I recall, and it was amazing to play with a passer as great as Greg.
He had 14 assists in the NCAA title game vs Memphis junior year, most to Walton. Bill rang up 44, converting 21 of 22 field goals in an all-time performance. But whenever in later years he was asked about it, Bill would shake that knowing head and call it “Greg’s game.”
Greg’s greatest successes came as an all-time beach volleyball player paired with my Samohi friend Jim Menges. I’ll always remember Greg best as a brilliant basketball talent and mind.
As almost inevitably happens, we went on our separate journeys and I lost touch with Greg in my endless travels. I’d see Walton at games and we’d catch up, but Greg became a tender subject. He was fighting illness for a long time, and it got to where I wouldn’t ask Bill how he was doing. Too painful. I’m feeling for Bill and the wonderful Lee family Greg leaves behind. Rest In Peace, old friend. Every time I hear an old Traffic song I’ll think of you.
Wounded again with news of the passing of Greg Lee, the best and brightest on the Santa Monica sand and UCLA campus during the glorious early ‘70s. I met Greg through mutual friends on the eve of his freshman year and he brought buddy Bill Walton to my garage apartment by Santa Monica College, where I worked as PR guy while attending UCLA. Bill was so shy he hardly spoke but it wasn’t necessary. The way Greg described his game I thought he must be exaggerating, but Bill soon showed me it was on target, like every Lee pass.
Greg was a lightning rod, full of life, a joy to be with. One of my favorite memories was hooping with him one Saturday at Lincoln Jr. High, holding the court as long as we wanted. I was in a rare zone as I recall, and it was amazing to play with a passer as great as Greg.
He had 14 assists in the NCAA title game vs Memphis junior year, most to Walton. Bill rang up 44, converting 21 of 22 field goals in an all-time performance. But whenever in later years he was asked about it, Bill would shake that knowing head and call it “Greg’s game.”
Greg’s greatest successes came as an all-time beach volleyball player paired with my Samohi friend Jim Menges. I’ll always remember Greg best as a brilliant basketball talent and mind.
As almost inevitably happens, we went on our separate journeys and I lost touch with Greg in my endless travels. I’d see Walton at games and we’d catch up, but Greg became a tender subject. He was fighting illness for a long time, and it got to where I wouldn’t ask Bill how he was doing. Too painful. I’m feeling for Bill and the wonderful Lee family Greg leaves behind. Rest In Peace, old friend. Every time I hear an old Traffic song I’ll think of you.
