MANILA, Philippines – At the PBA Philippine Cup game between Magnolia and Meralco on Sunday, there was a brief but significant awards ceremony that saw Paul Lee formally admitted into the exclusive club of 1,000 three-point shooters.

Commissioner Willie Marcial, along with Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo and Hotshots team governor Rene Pardo, gave the 35-year-old Magnolia gunner his plaque.

When Ray Almazan, a former teammate from Rain or Shine, and Chris Newsome and Cliff Hodge of Meralco approached Lee at the Philsports Arena’s midcourt to congratulate him, they also offered Lee some love.

Last Monday, in a 108-102 victory over Rain or Shine at the Tiaong Convention Center, Lee made his 1,000th triple play.

He became the first Magnolia player to accomplish the milestone in the club’s history, although he was just the tenth player in league history to do so.

Sadly, the Hotshots’ 74-51 loss against the Bolts marred the magical night as Lee was limited to only six points on 0-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc.

In addition, Magnolia’s 51 points were the lowest in the team’s 36-year history.

Get to know Paul Lee

Born on February 14, 1989, Paul John Dalistan Lee is a professional basketball player from the Philippines who plays for the Philippine Basketball Association’s Magnolia Hotshots (PBA). In the 2011 PBA draft, Rain or Shine selected Ryan second overall.

In the 2011 PBA draft, Rain or Shine selected him second overall. Paul Lee made his PBA debut in a 107-100 victory over the Alaska Aces, tallying 17 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists in 25 minutes of action. In a 100-94 victory over the B-Meg Llamados the next game, Paul Lee had yet another fantastic performance, with 17 points and 5 rebounds in just 30 minutes of action. Despite missing out on the final series due to injury, he won his first PBA championship with the Elasto Painters at the end of the 2011–12 season and was named Rookie of the Year.

In 2014, he called coach Yeng Guiao directly and asked the Rain or Shine management to move him. But Guiao and Rain or Shine’s management are determined to hold onto him at all costs. Following his return from Spain after playing for the Gilas in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Lee took a break from the game, refusing to speak to the media or attend Rain or Shine practices. This led to rumors that he was trying to sign with a different team.

When he did show up a few days later, he had a heart-to-heart with coach Yeng Guiao and ultimately made the decision to remain with the Elasto Painters. He and his agent Lawrence Chongson agreed to a maximum 2-year contract on September 19, 2014, to remain with Rain or Shine.

In one of the largest deals in PBA history, Paul Lee was traded to the Star Hotshots on October 13, 2016, in a blockbuster trade for star shooting guard James Yap. The move shocked basketball fans.

Lee made his debut with the Philippine national team at the FIBA Asia Cup of 2014. Owing to his birth circumstances, Lee competed under the maiden names of his mother, Paul John Dalistan. In the Asian tournament, he helped the team win a bronze medal after making three critical free throws against the host China with no time left.

Lee participated in both the 2014 Asian Games and the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, however he was sidelined the following year due to injury.

Just a month ago, Marcio Lassiter moves up to #4 in the PBA 3-point ranking.

The list of career three-pointers made, which was one of the highlights of San Miguel Beer’s convincing victory against NorthPort in the PBA Philippine Cup, propelled Marcio Lassiter up to fourth position.

In the 120-100 victory at Philsports Arena in Pasig City, Lassiter made four triples, surpassing James Yap of Blackwater and getting closer to the record-holder Jimmy Alapag, Allan Caidic, and LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra.

With 1,197 triples, the 12-year veteran presently trails only Alapag (1,250), Caidic (1,242), and Tenorio (1,218), as of the current competition.