“I don’t think it’s too late to prepare for the off-season.”
Suwon KT won the 2nd pick in the 2021 KBL domestic rookie draft. Ha Yoon-ki (204cm, C), a big man from Korea University, was nominated. Ha Yoon-ki, who has height, elasticity, and mobility, was chosen as the team’s main big man.스포츠토토
There are more big men to support Ha Yoon-ki. This was the case for veteran Kim Dong-ryang (198cm, F) and Lee Doo-won (204cm, C), who joined as the second pick in the 2022 KBL domestic rookie draft. Even Park Joon-young (195cm, F) who will return from the Armed Forces Sports Unit. KT’s big man layer has become thicker.
Kim Min-wook (205cm, C) was one of them. Because of that, I spent the summer of 2022 differently. Director Seo Dong-cheol, who was the KT command tower at the time, also said, “(Kim) Min-wook seems to have a venom. He seems to have built his body well,” he said, highly appreciating Kim Min-wook’s condition.
However, the opportunities Kim Min-wook received were rare. He only built up his body in the D-League, and only played 11 games in the regular league. The playing time per game was only 7 minutes and 56 seconds.
And Kim Min-wook became a free agent (FA). Because it was Kim Min-wook who did not get a chance, I was very anxious. However, Day One Sports caught Kim Min-wook. He signed a contract with Kim Min-wook on the condition of a total compensation of 200 million won (salary: 160 million won, incentive: 40 million won) for the 2023-2024 season over a three-year contract period.
However, Day One Sports was expelled from KBL due to ongoing financial difficulties. Kim Min-wook’s team suddenly disappeared. KBL provided an off-season exercise environment, but former Day One Sports players, including Kim Min-wook, had to exercise without a coaching staff.
Kim Min-wook said, “No matter what the situation is, the season starts the same. Although he had an external factor, he thought it would work out. So he focused more on building his body,” he said, looking back on the past month.
However, a new company appeared to erase the pain of Day One Sports. Sono International submitted a letter of intent to KBL to establish 10 teams. If it passes the board of directors and extraordinary general meeting to be held on the 21st, it becomes a new member of KBL. When that happens, Kim Min-wook becomes a player belonging to Sono International.
Kim Min-wook said, “I know that the teams that run the basketball team hardly make any profit. Nonetheless, Sono International submitted a letter of intent for establishment in a grand way. I am very grateful. He was also happy to have a club he personally belonged to,” he said, and was delighted with Sono International’s letter of intent.
When Sono International becomes the 10th team of KBL, players including Kim Min-wook must strengthen their bodies in earnest. Because he is later than others, he has to spend more time on the court than others.
However, Kim Min-wook said, “It is true that the manager and coach were not there, and the composition of players and various conditions were later than other teams. However, the teams that advanced to the championship match also started exercising now. Looking at it that way, I don’t think our preparation process is too late,” he said, looking at it from a different perspective.
He continued, “In the case of selecting foreign players, it is not the players’ authority. I expect that the coaching staff and the secretariat will select good players. And (Kim) Kang Seon-hyung made the atmosphere positive by saying ‘Let’s do what we can’. The atmosphere of the players is good,” he said, thinking only of what he had to do as a player.
Lastly, “I met director Kim Seung-gi after a long time. If you were a new player at KGC Ginseng Corporation, now you belong to the senior line. So the feeling is newer. I know the director’s style, so I don’t think there will be any problems adapting.” He was confident of adapting to the new team.