Quick Facts
Biography
Jalen Lecque (born June 3, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Northern Arizona Suns, on assignment from the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He entered the 2019 NBA draft after deciding to skip college basketball.
Early life
Lecque was born in Manhattan, New York and lived in The Bronx until he was three years old. Both of his parents worked in Harlem, his father at a barbershop and his mother at a hospital. As a toddler, Lecque moved with his family to Teaneck, New Jersey, where he attended elementary and middle school.
High school career
Instead of attending his local school Teaneck High School, Lecque decided to enroll at Monsignor Scanlan High School in The Bronx because of its superior basketball program. In the 2016–17 season, he averaged about 11 points per game. In April 2017, Lecque saw breakout success with Southern Stampede at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), helping him gain interest from many prominent NCAA Division I programs.
Entering the 2017–18 season, Lecque transferred to Christ School in Arden, North Carolina while reclassifying from the 2018 to 2019 class. He was drawn to the school for not only basketball, but also academics. Lecque averaged 20.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game, leading his team to the 3A North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) state semifinals. He was named Asheville Citizen-Times All-Western North Carolina (WNC) Player of the Year and earned NCISAA All-State honors.
On July 30, 2018, Lecque announced that he would transfer to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire for his senior season.
On April 20, 2019, Lecque declared for the 2019 NBA draft. On May 29, 2019, he remained in the NBA draft past the withdrawal deadline, ensuring that he would not play at the college level.
On May 8, 2019, Lecque was named one of 77 total players participating in the NBA Draft Combine later in the month. He recorded a 43-inch maximum vertical leap, the highest at the combine, and left the combine early after receiving positive feedback from NBA teams.
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Lecque PG | Wolfeboro, NH | Brewster Academy (NH) | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Oct 2, 2018 | |
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 40 247Sports: 40 ESPN: 41 | ||||||
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Professional career
Lecque was not drafted in the 2019 NBA draft on June 20. He was signed to a 4 year deal, 2 years guaranteed, by the Phoenix Suns on July 6. On October 28, Lecque was assigned to the Northern Arizona Suns for the start of the 2019–20 NBA G League season. Lecque was recalled to Phoenix on multiple assignments throughout the season. Lecque made his NBA debut on January 16, playing in only two minutes for the Suns' 121–98 win over the New York Knicks.