'The lucky winners are OK Savings Bank and Korean Air': Kyle Russell selected by OK Savings Bank, Leo re-signed with Hyundai Capital [V-League foreign investor draft]

*This content was translated by AI.

Busan OK Savings Bank and Incheon Korean Air have emerged as the lucky winners ahead of the new season.

Shin Young-cheol, head coach of OK Savings Bank, secured the first overall pick at the 2026-2027 Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) men's foreign player draft held on the 10th (Korean time) at the Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic, selecting Kyle Russell (33, USA).

The draft order was determined by a lottery, with the number of lottery balls allocated inversely proportional to the final standings of the previous season. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (35 balls, 7th place), OK Savings Bank (30 balls, 6th place), KEPCO (25 balls, 5th place), KB Insurance (20 balls, 4th place), Woori Card (15 balls, 3rd place), Hyundai Capital (10 balls, 2nd place), and Korean Air (5 balls, 1st place) received balls in descending order of their previous season's ranking.

Despite Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance holding the most lottery balls, OK Savings Bank claimed the first overall pick. OK Savings Bank immediately selected Russell.

Russell, who had packed his bags after being replaced by Jose Masso (registered name: Masso) of Korean Air following the conclusion of the 2025-2026 regular season, returned to a team after two months. For Russell, who previously played for KEPCO, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, and Korean Air, OK Savings Bank is his fourth V-League team. Although he could not attend the draft on the 10th due to personal reasons, his performance in leading Korean Air to the regular season championship last season was significant, and OK Savings Bank had no hesitation in selecting him.

He had previously stated, "I want to return to the V-League and have another successful season. I want to come back to the V-League no matter which team picks me," expressing a strong desire to come to Korea. Head coach Shin Young-cheol also desperately wanted him.

Coach Shin said, "Last season, although we had the highest probability of getting the first pick, we were pushed down to fifth in the lottery, which was disappointing. Today, being selected first makes me feel great. He has a strong serve, good height, and excellent power. Additionally, handling difficult balls is crucial, and I expect a lot from Russell."

Although Russell showed some physical concerns, Coach Shin stated, "The most important thing is Russell's mindset. We will communicate with him to identify any issues. Regarding his physical condition, as long as he is in good shape, there should not be a major problem. The coach's goal is always to win. Since we finished sixth last season, we need to close the gap with the top teams. We must reinvent ourselves to win the love of OK Savings Bank fans. With the increase in Busan home fans after the relocation, we must not disappoint them."

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, led by coach Tommy Tilikainen, selected tall attacker Felipe Hoki (29, Brazil), who stands 212 cm tall. Hoki, who has experience playing in Japan's SV League with Hiroshima, received high praise for his powerful attacks utilizing high batting points and his strong serve. Hoki said, "I felt I grew while playing in Japan. Watching V-League videos, I noticed the level of competition and the passionate support of the fans. I can't wait to play in Korea. I'm excited."

Korean Air was the hidden winner. As the previous season's overall champion, they only received five lottery balls but secured the third overall pick and selected Gander Ketjenski (26, Canada), who received first-place votes from the most teams (two) in the pre-draft preference survey. Head coach Heman Dal Joto said, "He was the player we wanted most. He can play both as an outside hitter and an opposite spiker. We expect good performance in receiving as well. His serve is also very fierce."

KB Insurance, having decided to part ways with Andres Viena, used its sixth overall pick on opposite spiker Linus Weber (Germany), who stands 203 cm tall. Acting head coach Ha Hyun-yong of KB Insurance evaluated him, saying, "We appreciated his fundamentals. His hitting form is clean and good. His serve is excellent. He also possesses both power and height."

On the day before the draft, the 9th, Hyundai Capital notified the federation of re-signing Leonardo Reiva Martinez (registered name: Leo), Woori Card re-signed Rafael Araujo (registered name: Araujo), and KEPCO re-signed Sharon Vernon Evans (registered name: Vernon).

Philip Blanc, head coach of Hyundai Capital, who protected Leo, the undisputed best foreign player, said, "He has extensive experience from playing in Korea for a long time and a high understanding of the league. He also showed excellent performance last season. He has a strong desire for victory and championships. We saw Leo's desire to grow further. There is no reason not to keep him. Given his good physical condition, if he focuses more on blocking and improves his skills, he will be a great help to the team."

Hyundai Capital retained Leo, free agent Heo Su-bong, and setter Hwang Seung-bin. Coach Blanc said, "We have been consistently discussing with the club on how to maintain a strong roster. The club has paid great attention, allowing us to keep Heo Su-bong and Hwang Seung-bin. We are grateful to have a roster capable of competing at the highest level, befitting Hyundai Capital's reputation. We lost to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in the sixth round last season with a set score of 1-3, missing the championship opportunity. This was due to our own inadequate preparation. Although we were runners-up in the championship series, which was disappointing, our players fought well. We will get the trophy back this season."

The annual salary for new foreign players is $400,000 (approximately 589 million won), while the annual salary for re-signed players is $550,000 (810 million won).

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*This content was translated by AI.