[FA Behind the Scenes] Contact at 10 p.m. from Park Ji-soo → Ran to KB in one step... Successful contract renewal after four meetings

*This content was translated by AI.

"I got a call at 10 p.m. I ran over immediately."

Cheongju KB Stars of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WKBL) succeeded in securing 'national treasure center' Park Ji-soo (28) after a long tug-of-war. It was the result of sincere effort.

On the 14th, KB officially announced, "We have signed a free agent (FA) contract renewal with Park Ji-soo. The contract period is two years, with a total annual amount of 500 million won." With this contract, Park Ji-soo updated the record for the highest salary in WKBL history.

Park Ji-soo was considered the biggest prize in this year's WKBL 'FA market.' Many teams showed interest even before the FA market opened. In fact, Park Ji-soo held negotiations while meeting with several teams. Park Ji-soo's dilemma deepened. Even after the first negotiation period ended, Park Ji-soo's destination remained undecided. KB could have been anxious in this situation.

However, KB instead gave Park Ji-soo ample time and sought to respect her decision. It was for Park Ji-soo's sake.

A KB club official told StarNews on this day, "Park Ji-soo said she was excited and hopeful because it was her first FA. She wanted to choose this FA carefully so that she would have no regrets about her own choice. We did not think of it as urgent from the beginning. Therefore, we did not set the schedule for negotiations with Park Ji-soo ourselves."

The official continued, "In the first negotiation, we talked more about the past season than contract terms. It was her first season as captain, and we exchanged opinions on whether there were any difficulties and on the future direction of the team. Through subsequent meetings, we gradually discussed the contract."

KB and Park Ji-soo met a total of four times. In fact, the discussion on the final terms concluded during the third meeting. However, Park Ji-soo needed more time to think. A KB club official said, "During the third meeting with Park Ji-soo, the player was aware of all the terms. Only the player's choice remained, but Park Ji-soo asked for time to make a mental decision. We told her we would wait long enough. However, since there is an FA registration procedure, we hoped she would decide by Thursday (14th) morning. There were many rumors, but since Park Ji-soo had not given an official answer, we planned to wait for a response internally until then."

However, the time Park Ji-soo contacted KB was 10 p.m. on the 13th. A KB club official said, "Park Ji-soo said she had quickly made up her mind and contacted us. When she asked, 'Can we meet now?' I ran over immediately. That is how we signed the contract renewal."

With Park Ji-soo's contract renewal, 'defending champion' KB retains its championship-caliber roster. In this year's FA market, KB lost 'another key player' Kang Lee-sol (Asan Woori Bank). However, with Park Ji-soo's contract renewal and the successful acquisition of another FA target, Yoon Ye-bin, KB remains at the top of the league. The 'Championship Final MVP' Heo Ye-eun and other best-five players are still at the league's highest level. Additionally, KB successfully concluded negotiations with five of its own players among the 10th total FA targets for 2026.

The KB club stated, "It was a meaningful time to confirm mutual trust with players who have been with us for a long time," and added, "We plan to focus on additional roster construction."

This season, Park Ji-soo could not play in the championship final due to an ankle injury, but she demonstrated her readiness by winning the regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. She appeared in 24 regular season games, averaging 16.54 points and 10.1 rebounds. With Park Ji-soo's performance, KB continued its momentum and secured the club's third consecutive championship.

Through the club, Park Ji-soo expressed, "I am grateful to the fans who have always supported me and to the club that has shown deep trust in me. I feel a great sense of responsibility and will show my best effort alongside my teammates."

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*This content was translated by AI.