It gets more intense.
It’s a tectonic shift of epic proportions. Professional basketball is in flux. The KBL’s free agency period ended on Nov. 22. Of the 47 eligible players, 29 have chosen a destination. Of those, 14 players moved to other organizations. Fifteen re-signed. Above all, a number of top stars have moved, heating up the Air Conditioning League. For example, Moon Sung-gon (30) switched to KT and Yang Hong-seok (26) switched to LG. With so many big moves, the competition for the title next season is expected to be even more intense.안전놀이터
SK and KCC were the two teams that stole the spotlight. SK brought in the “Lion King” Oh Se-geun, 36. Since turning pro in 2011, Oh has played exclusively for KGC Ginseng Corporation. Last season, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Championship Finals after leading the Ginseng Corporation to the overall title. Coincidentally, he joined hands with SK, a team that fought for the throne until the end. The team boasts the strongest lineup, including a reunion with Kim Sun-hyung, who wrote the myth of the 52-game winning streak during his time at Chung-Ang University, the trusted Jamil Warney, and Ahn Young-joon, who was discharged from the military in November.
KCC also gritted their teeth. They aim to return to the top after 13 years. The team reached its peak with the addition of ‘bad boy’ Choi Jun-yong (29). Choi has been with SK since his debut in 2016. He was named the regular season MVP in the 2021-2022 season. He’s in his prime in his late 20s and can play all positions. KCC has Heo Woong and Lee Seung-hyun on its roster for the 2022-2023 season. Ragan-ah anchors the center, while Song Kyo-chang returns from military service in November. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is a national-level lineup.
Last season, professional basketball was at an all-time high. It was on an upward curve, drawing a total of 687,303 fans to stadiums. Compared to the 2018-2019 season before the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the attendance level has recovered 80%. Revenue from gate receipts also surpassed KRW 8.6 billion, a record high. There was plenty to talk about, including the breathtaking battle for the top spot and Day One’s determination in the face of financial difficulties. Next season is just as difficult to predict. Expectations are already rising.
