Kim Se-bin of Korea Expressway Corporation, who was selected as the defending champion with the first overall pick, said, “If I do well, opportunities will come.”

Kim Se-bin of Korea Expressway Corporation, who was selected as the defending champion with the first overall pick, said, “If I do well, opportunities will come.”

In sports where rookies are recruited through the draft, the first overall pick is generally selected by a low-ranking team in the previous season. This is because, in order to equalize power, the right to be selected early in the rankings is given to the lower ranking team, or the possibility of being assigned is increased. However, Hanbom High School middle blocker (center) Kim Se-bin (18), who was selected as the first overall pick in the first round by the Korea Expressway Corporation in the V-League 2023-2024 women’s rookie draft, is a unique case of being nominated to the defending champion rather than a lower-ranked team.

This is because in May of this year, the Korea Road Corporation gave up setter Lee Go-eun and a second-round pick in the rookie draft to Pepper Savings Bank, which ranked last season, and instead received middle blocker Choi Ga-eun and a first-round pick. The road construction company’s choice, which secured Pepper Savings Bank’s first overall pick in the first round, was by far the ‘biggest fish’ Kim Se-bin. Pepper Savings Bank was criticized for giving away promising players too easily due to a lax roster arrangement.

Kim Se-bin recently met with Sports Donga and said, “People around me predicted a high possibility of being selected as the first pick, but the moment my name was called, I didn’t realize that I was selected. I will work hard and become a player who can play in many games.” revealed.

Kim Se-bin is tall (187cm) and is a ‘second-generation volleyball player’, the youngest of the two daughters of Kim Cheol-soo, general manager of KEPCO, and former women’s volleyball team coach Nam-soon Kim. She said herself that she “wants to emulate her father’s blocking ability and her mother’s fast-break ability.” Director Kim said, “Being selected as the first overall pick is an honor for the family. “Her wife complained bitterly, and my advice in the form of warm encouragement seems to have been effective,” he said with joy.스포츠토토

Kim Se-bin, who was selected by the Korea Expressway Corporation as the first pick in the first round at the ‘2023-2024 KOVO Women’s Rookie Player Draft’ held at the Mayfield Hotel Seoul in Oebalsan-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul on the 10th, is taking a commemorative photo with coach Jong-min Kim and general manager Il-hwan Kim. Reporter Joo Hyeon-hee teth1147@donga.com

Kim Se-bin can grow even bigger because her growth plates haven’t closed yet. Some say he is the ‘second Yang Hyo-jin (Hyundai Engineering & Construction).’ Kim Jong-min, coach of the Road Construction Corporation, also said, “He is a player with many advantages, such as blocking, because of his height,” and added, “The team’s defense becomes easier when blocking is good, so I thought about this and nominated him.” He did not hide his expectations, saying, “He will be able to make up for what the team lacks.”

Kim Se-bin is excited about his professional performance. Since he was nominated for the defending champion with strong power, he may have fewer opportunities to play than past first overall picks, but he is confident that he can overcome it with his skills and efforts. He said, “I joined a great and wonderful team. “I will prepare for the season by referring to senior Bae Yu-na’s play,” he said. “I think the coaching staff will give me a chance if I work hard.” He said emphatically, “As quick steps are an advantage, I plan to further improve my blocking.”