It’s almost hard to believe today that USC hesitated to offer wide receiver Marqise Lee a scholarship.
The sophomore is one of the nation’s top receivers, but not long ago USC coaches were unsure if they wanted him. They did not have much contact with him for several months while colleges such as Oregon and Miami pursued him.
“I always wanted to go to USC,” Lee said. “It was my No. 1 choice and I’m glad I got to come here.”
So are USC’s coaches, despite their initial reluctance.
“Our evaluation paid off,” coach Lane Kiffin said in a comment that almost sounds tongue-in-cheek after Lee caught 73 passes for 1,143 yards with 11 touchdowns last season.
By the end of last season, some thought Lee was USC’s best weapon. He made play after play during the Trojans’ final four games — victories over Colorado, Washington, Oregon and UCLA.
Lee’s wait for a scholarship offer was a breeze compared to the obstacles he overcame in life. When he was 6 or 7, he said, he was taken from his mother and placed in different foster homes, hotels or just with friends.
A half-brother is dead and another is in jail. But Lee got lucky when a friend’s family took him in while he attended Serra High School in Gardena, Calif., during his sophomore year.
Lee lived in Inglewood with Sheila Nero and Steve Hester, and they channeled his energy into sports, where he became a college-level athlete in football, basketball and track.
That was apparent this spring when Lee joined the track team and finished fifth in the long jump at the Pac-12 championships, even though he also participated in spring football drills. He also ran a leg on the 400-meter relay team, another example of his boundless energy.
“He’s a wonderful kid,” USC track coach Ron Allice said. “His attitude is stellar and he always wants to help the team. He’s literally a dream to coach.”
Lee’s attitude is so good that Kiffin even let him go to a track meet in Texas and miss a weekend of spring football practice.
“He wanted to go and I think he deserved the chance because he works so hard,” Kiffin said.
Lee appreciates the opportunities after a turbulent upbringing.
“I’ve been lucky because other people go through tough things, too, but I had people who helped me,” Lee said.