'First Career Championship Finals MVP' Heo Ye-eun: "I worry a lot about women's basketball's popularity... I want to make a name for myself at international tournaments" [Yongin Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Heo Ye-eun (25) of KB Stars has been crowned the undisputed top guard in the WKBL after earning the honor of her first career Championship Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

On the 26th, following the conclusion of the third game of the BNK Financial 2025-2026 Women's Professional Basketball Championship Finals held at the Yongin Indoor Gymnasium, Heo Ye-eun was selected as MVP after receiving 47 out of 72 votes in a press corps poll.

During the three-game series, Heo Ye-eun averaged 34 minutes per game and led KB to a sweep victory with overwhelming statistics: 16 points, 5.67 assists, and a 47.37% three-point shooting percentage.

In a post-victory press conference, Heo Ye-eun said, "I wanted to be here and enjoy this moment," adding, "I am truly grateful and happy to receive the MVP award. I still feel a bit dazed."

Regarding expectations for her to be named MVP, she added, "I thought it would be meaningless if we didn't win the championship. I would be grateful if I received it, but I tried not to think about it in advance."

Compared to four years ago when the team won the unified championship, Heo Ye-eun has matured beyond recognition. She reflected, "Back then, I lacked maturity in my play and was just young. Now, my position has changed, and I have many younger teammates. That has made my sense of responsibility grow."

Especially, this championship victory holds even greater significance as it was achieved with regular season MVP Park Ji-soo sidelined due to injury. Heo Ye-eun emphasized, "We are well aware that the tag 'we can't do it without Ji-soo unni' has always followed us. We desperately wanted to break free from that perception. It would have been better if we had played alongside her, but this victory is a truly meaningful result for our team."

When asked who she considered the MVP, Heo Ye-eun named Kang Yi-seul. In the third game, Kang Yi-seul led both teams with 28 points, playing a pivotal role. Heo Ye-eun said, "Unni Yi-seul played exceptionally well today, and I gave her many opportunities. She has a tendency to explode in the third game, and she scored enthusiastically today again. She probably wanted to play more on the perimeter, but she sacrificed herself by competing for rebounds inside the paint, making her the top contributor."

Heo Ye-eun's gaze is now set on higher goals. She stated, "I worry a lot about why basketball isn't popular. I believe we must demonstrate our competitiveness by performing well at international tournaments. This summer (September), at the Basketball World Cup and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, I want to make a name for myself alongside my unni. I will show that even smaller players can play without being intimidated in front of bigger players."

Dreaming of being a perfect player, Heo Ye-eun emphasized not only skill but also inner growth. She said, "I want to become a mature player who does not show emotions too openly. My goal is to be a guard who helps teammates play basketball happily."

Heo Ye-eun also revealed her ambition to reach a wider stage, saying, "If the opportunity arises, I would like to challenge myself by playing overseas."

Finally, she addressed FA players such as Kang Yi-seul and Park Ji-soo, saying, "I hope they make the best choice. I hope my unni, who think so much about the team, make decisions they won't regret."

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*This content was translated by AI.