Jung Hyun Koo? Koo Sang Ki-sang? Koo Moo-bin? Any choice is ‘the best’ according to director Song Young-jin, who announced the top picks

Jung Hyun Koo? Koo Sang Ki-sang? Koo Moo-bin? Any choice is ‘the best’ according to director Song Young-jin, who announced the top picks

Jung-hyun Kwon, Ki-sang Dae, and Mubin Kwon. Any of them could be the “best choice” for KT head coach Song Young-jin.

Suwon KT won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 KBL Rookie Draft Lottery on Thursday at the KBL Center. It will be the first time in five years that they have the top rookie since 2018.

KT is in a happy predicament: the big three in the draft are Korea University’s Moon Jung-hyun, Park Mubin, and Yonsei University’s Yoo Yoo-sang. All of them are immediately recognized as powerhouses. The difference in skill between the three and the other players is huge. Shin Joo-young and Lee Kyung-do are well-received by pro officials, but they are not instant powerhouses.

Jung-hyun Koo, Ki-sang Koo, and Moo-bin Koo. Any of them could be the “best option” for KT coach Song Young-jin. Photo courtesy of the Korean Collegiate Basketball Association
KT will also choose one of Moon Jung-hyun, Yoo Yoo-sang, and Park Mubin. The question is which of the three they choose. With Heo Hoon and Moon Sung-gon, the consensus is that Yoo Yoo-sang is the best fit, but Moon Jung-hyun and Park Mubin are also hard to ignore.

Right now, Moon is the most likely to go first overall. He has some obvious weaknesses, such as speed for his position and shooting, but everything else is a strength. It’s hard to ignore the fact that he can play the 3 and 4 positions.스포츠토토

Aside from Heo, KT doesn’t currently have a player who can serve as their main ball-handler. They felt Heo’s absence in the 2022-23 season and didn’t have a solution. Moon Jung-hyun is the only point forward in the college league. He has a wide range and can run the offense. He even had a triple-double in the college league this year. National team coach Chu Il-seung saw a lot of Kim Dong-wook in him.

Being a point forward doesn’t mean he’s a fragile player who stays on the perimeter. Combative defense and rebounding are also his strengths. His three-point shot is something he needs to work on, but his mid-range jumper is very good. His offensive and defensive judgment in mismatched situations is also excellent.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that he will be competing at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. At the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and 2014 Incheon Asian Games, both Oh Se-geun and Lee Jong-hyun were ranked first overall.

Moon Jung-hyun is considered the strongest No. 1 overall candidate in this year’s rookie draft. Photo courtesy of the Korea University Basketball Association
Yoo is one of the best shooters in college. He’s not the type to maintain a consistent rhythm, but like Jeon, he has a level of firepower that can be hard to contain once he explodes. In addition, since his senior year, he has become a player who can utilize his teammates. His ability to take advantage of defenses that are focused on him and his vision to help his teammates is one of his best weapons right now.

He’s also an excellent defender. In addition to his man-to-man defense, he has excellent vertical defense for a guard/forward in the late 6-foot-8 range.

KT’s weakness is at the 2 position. They have Lee Hyun-seok, Choi Sung-mo, and Kim Jun-hwan, but they are not a constant. After the addition of Heo Hoon, Jung Sung-woo can play at the 2, but there is a risk that his height will be too low. Yoo is a nearly 190-centimeter shooter. He could be an ideal lineup for KT, making him a hard card to pass up.

Yoo Yoo-sang, the best shooter in college, is a resource that can fill KT’s weakness at the 2. Photo courtesy of the Korean National University Basketball Association
The possibility of selecting Park Mubin with the first overall pick is also hard to ignore. He is a guard who can play both the 1 and 2 positions and has the ability to run the game, pass, shoot, and defend. His defense, which was a weakness in his underclassman year, has really taken off in his senior year, often acting as an ace stopper. He also has the heart to end games in clutch situations.

KT has an irreplaceable ace in Heo Hoon. However, he can’t play the full 40 minutes. You also have to consider the injury issue. KT should always have a fallback card. Jung Sung-woo can only do so much, and we saw that last season.

Also, it’s hard to find a guard of Park Mubin’s caliber in the college league for the next few years. If the freshman guards who conquered Asia don’t opt for early entry, they will have to wait three years. Considering KT’s frontcourt, which has no constants other than Heo Hoon, Park’s selection is understandable. He also has a good looks that will attract the ladies.

Park Mubin is a player who can lead the KT front line alongside Heo Hoon. Photo courtesy of the Korea University Basketball Association
Five years ago, KT made one of the worst picks in the history of the KBL when they selected Park Jun-young, not Byun Joon-hyung, with the first overall pick in the “Byun Joon-hyung Draft.” Park hasn’t had a chance to play and will have to compete with Ha Yoon-ki and Lee Doo-won even after his military discharge. On the other hand, Byun Jun-hyung, who everyone expected to be the first overall pick, has developed into an MVP contender.

However, KT head coach Song Young-jin has stated that he wants to make the best pick in this draft. Fortunately, it’s a draft where any of Moon Jung-hyun, Yoo Yoo-sang, and Park Mubin can be explained. All three players’ skills and appeal make them worthy of the No. 1 overall pick. There’s no chance of repeating the worst pick of five years ago.

Happy thinking. There is no better way to describe KT’s current situation.