The ‘Slam Dunk’ craze is blowing again. It’s not just one movie. It brings back old memories. We are enjoying the ‘Glory Era’ again. Even in reality, there are players who want to taste glory again. This is Jeonju KCC Lee Jong-hyun (29). He was once called ‘the best big man’. It becomes a memory of the past. He must change to the present.
Lee Jong-hyun left Goyang Carrot through a trade on the 1st and moved to KCC. This is his second trade after his pro debut. He played his first match after transferring on the 5th. He recorded 4 points and 3 rebounds in 15 minutes and 42 seconds. It’s not a good figure, but it filled the void left by Lee Seung-hyun to some extent.
They called him the ‘future’ of Korean basketball. He was even selected for the national team when he was in his third year at Kyungbok High School. He said he would become the national big man following Seo Jang-hoon and Kim Joo-sung. During his time at Korea University, he challenged the American stage. He joined Hyundai Mobis as스포츠토토 the first overall player and entered the professional league brilliantly. While winning the gold medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, he also solved his military problems and turned pro.
But perhaps thinking of the past, the current appearance is regrettable. It wasn’t bad in his early days as a pro. In the 2016-2017 season, his debut season, he recorded 10.5 points and 8.0 rebounds, and in the 2017-2018 season, he produced 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds.
After that, he cried over his injuries. He injured his Achilles tendon, knee and shoulder. In the 2019-2020 season, he only played in two games. At the same time, grades plummeted. The 2018-2019 season was the last season in which he played more than 20 minutes on average. A ‘lazy genius’ sound came out.
I had been promising to ‘resurrect’ for several years, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought. However, this season will be different. As the team’s owner changed, it started anew as Goyang Carrot, and Lee Jong-hyun also made up his mind. CEO Heo Jae and director Kim Seung-gi also emphasized the need for Lee Jong-hyun’s revival.
Lee Jong-hyun played 24 games at Carrot, averaging 13 minutes and 25 seconds. His record was 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists. Among the fans, a lament broke out, saying, ‘The old look can’t come out anymore’. And he moved the team through the trade between Carrot and KCC. It is not a main player in KCC either. I saw Lee Seung-hyun as a player who would fill the void. When Lee Seung-hyun returns, he is a backup.
Judging by the value of the name, he is still heavy. However, it can be said that it is probably a name value based on the reputation of the era. He never really stood out in the pros. Before I knew it, I was in my late 20s. It seems like time just passed without a hint.
All that remains is one. The rest of the season will show some improvement. At this point, we cannot hope for the role of the protagonist from Lee Jong-hyun. But its purpose is clear. He is a 203 cm big man. He is a player who can ease the burden on La Gun-ah and Lee Seung-hyun. Evaluations that “he is getting better in movement” also began to appear.
In the ‘Slam Dunk’ match between Buksan High School and Sanwang Technical High School, Buksan’s captain Chae Chi-soo is tied up by Sanwang’s center Shin Hyeon-cheol. However, he said, “I lose, but Buksan doesn’t.” At the same time, Cha Chi-su’s performance also increased.
It is a part that can be substituted for Lee Jong-hyun now. Doing what you can and contributing to the team’s victory, this is the starting point for resurgence.