Jeonju KCC is one of the most anticipated teams heading into next season. This is because the team will finally have the “big three” that fans have been waiting for, with Heo Woong (30‧185cm) and Lee Seung-hyun (31‧197cm) returning from military service, along with franchise star Song Gyo-chang (27‧201.3cm).
Since his rookie year, Song Gyo-chang has developed into a long forward at the 3 position. However, he had to play a lot of games as a power forward because the team didn’t have a starter-level 4. Although he was tall enough, his slender body caused him to struggle in the post. The burden on defense spilled over into the offense, and while Song Kyo-chang’s absence meant that the three spot was filled by Jung Chang-young and others, it must have been too much to handle against opposing big wings.
That worry is gone now. With Lee Seung-hyun, who is one of the few homegrown four players in the country with the skill and name recognition to play the power forward position, Song Kyo-chang doesn’t have to play the four as much as he used to. In addition, if Song Kyo-chang can move around the inside and outside as a long 3 and show his presence on defense, it is expected that there will be a lot of synergy between the guard and big man.
This is the best case scenario for KCC fans, but there was a surprise in the free agency market recently. Choi Jun-yong (29‧200.2cm), the main player of SK’s unified championship last season, joined the team. Choi is arguably one of the best forwards in Korea. As long as he stays healthy, he’s as valuable as Song Kyo-chang and Lee Seung-hyun.
With the addition of Choi Jun-yong, KCC could have a national team-caliber lineup with Heo Woong, Song Kyo-chang, and Lee Seung-hyun. The addition of Jung Chang-young (35‧193cm) off the bench is also a significant plus, as he could be a starter for some teams. However, KCC is also criticized for its lack of power stability compared to other contenders such as SK, LG, and KT.
There are many reasons for this, including the quantity and quality of bench power, but the biggest one is the lack of a clear field commander. As the saying goes, ‘a string of beads is worth a thousand words,’ and no matter how many good players you have, if you don’t have a point guard to unite and lead them, it’s not easy to fully utilize the power you have.
In fact, SK, LG, and KT have tried-and-true standout No. 1s in Kim Sun-hyung, Lee Jae-do, and Heo Hoon. KCC, on the other hand, has struggled with this issue all season and still hasn’t solved the problem of the vacant spot. Chung Chang-young can lead from the back, but he’s best suited for the 2-3 role. If he is forced to use his strength in the No. 1 position, he may not be able to play as well as he used to.
Kim Ji-wan (33‧187cm), a perennial candidate for the No. 1 spot, is the type of player who thrives on his own shot rather than looking to his teammates for offense. While his style can be utilized as an offense-oriented point guard, his ups and downs are notable. On his best days, he’s the ace of the team, but on his worst days, he’s more like he’s dug a hole and gone underground. He’ll have a good game or two and then have a bad one. On top of that, he’s been battling injuries, both big and small, and is often out of the lineup when he’s feeling better.
He is at a disadvantage in the rookie draft, where good guard options are expected to be available, and in the Asian quota system, he needs to be lucky to some extent. It would be great if we could get a player like DB Lee Sun Albano (27‧185cm), but it’s hard to find such a resource under the set conditions, and there is also the problem of adjustment in Korea. It is not impossible, but it is difficult to keep the rookie draft and the Asian quota system as a constant.
What remains is to hope that Song Dong-hoon (23‧174.4cm), the fourth pick in the first round of last year’s draft, or Lee Ho-hyun (30‧182cm), who was acquired in this year’s free agency market, will do better than expected, or that a foreign player with some leading and passing ability will be brought in. In that regard, the signing of Choi Jun-yong could be a godsend.
Choi is classified as a long forward, but he is evaluated as a point guard in terms of game coordination and passing sense. In fact, depending on the situation, he can also play the No. 1 position. Therefore, it is not easy to be a professional point guard, but if he plays a linker in the middle, he can ease the burden on the guard team. Song Kyo-chang can do that to some extent, although not as much as Choi Jun-yong.
And if you can bring in a foreign player like Day One’s Dedrick Lawson (25‧ 201cm), who has been an outstanding leading forward in the playoffs, you’re golden. Even if you don’t have a clear-cut point guard, it’s possible to improve your organization by bringing in leaders from other positions. In fact, there are a few teams in the NBA that are doing just that.메이저사이트
If it can be done, we can expect to see a long lineup with shooting guard Heo Woong playing the No. 1 role and Song Kyo-chang, Choi Jun-yong, Lee Seung-hyun, Ragan-ah, or a foreign player with passing ability. Of course, it’s not easy, so the coach’s ability and team chemistry are more important than anything else. That’s why we can’t help but be intrigued by KCC’s next season.