Dwayne Lee joined the VCU Men’s Basketball staff as an assistant coach in May of 2026.
Lee previously spent four seasons as an assistant at George Washington (2022-26), where he also served as the program’s defensive coordinator.
A former standout as a player at Saint Joseph’s, Lee is credited with engineering a dramatic defensive improvement at GW in 2024-25, decreasing the team’s points per game allowed by 8.9 ppg from the prior year, finishing in the top-3 of the Atlantic 10 by all defensive measures. GW ranked among the top-100 nationally in steals per game, 3-point defense, scoring defense, turnovers forced per game and field goal percentage defense. Analytically, the George Washington tallied its best defensive efficiency per KenPom since 2015-16 under Lee’s watch. In 2025-26, Lee helped the Revolutionaries to an NIT berth, as well as their highest KenPom and NET rankings in a decade.
In 2023-24, Lee again worked with the program’s guards, including three-time All-A-10 performer James Bishop IV and first-years Jacoi Hutchinson and Trey Autry. Offensively, GW broke the school record for made 3-pointers in a season and ranked among the nation’s top-75 in 3-point percentage. Lee’s hand in the Revolutionaries’ defense also saw the program jump nearly 60 spots in defensive efficiency over the previous year.
In his first season with GW, Lee was primarily responsible for the team's defense as well as guard development highlighted by serving as the lead recruiter for eventual A-10 Rookie of the Year Maximus Edwards. He helped lead the Buff & Blue to their most overall wins (16), most A-10 conference wins (10) and first winning league record since 2016-17.
Before GW, Lee spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac under Head Coach Baker Dunleavy. The Bobcats led the MAAC in made 3-pointers each of Lee's three seasons and showcased a stout defensive gameplan in 2020-21, when QU ranked eighth nationally in defensive field goal percentage. During his time in Hamden, Lee provided tutelage to seven All-MAAC performers and helped guide the Bobcats to the MAAC semifinals this past year.
Prior to his time with Quinnipiac, Lee was instrumental in the construction of an NCAA Tournament team at St. Bonaventure during his two years as an assistant from 2017-19. He helped lead the Bonnies to a program-record 26 wins and an NCAA First Four victory over UCLA in 2017-18. He mentored All-Conference guards Jaylen Adams, Matt Mobley and Idris Taqqee that year.
The following season, SBU advanced to the conference championship game thanks to the play of All-Rookie performer Kyle Lofton, who Lee recruited and developed. He also was responsible for signing four-star recruits Justin Winston and Alejandro Vasquez.
Lee also served as an assistant for four years at Fairleigh Dickinson, helping the Knights reach the 2016 NCAA Tournament by winning the NEC tournament despite having the third-youngest roster in the country. He began his coaching career as a graduate manager at Wagner in 2012-13.
A proud Jersey City, N.J., native, Lee played for Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's High and won two straight New Jersey State Championships, at one point earning a No. 2 national ranking by USA Today.
He went on to play for Saint Joseph's from 2002-06, aiding the Hawks to two NCAA Tournaments and two NIT berths, including an appearance in the NIT Championship. Lee was part of the second-winningest class in program history, accumulating 96 wins during his time on Hawk Hill. He also finished 11th in school history with 371 assists.
Following graduation with a degree in marketing, Lee played professionally for Sellbytel Baskets in Germany's top division. He later helped the Vermont Frost Heaves to the ABA Championship before finishing his playing career in 2011-12 with Etha in Cyprus' first division.
Lee and his wife, Frances, have two daughters (Nyla and Khari) and one son (Justice).
