*This content was translated by AI.
Park Ji-hyun (26, LA Sparks), the star of South Korean women's basketball, delivered her first meaningful points and offensive contributions in just two games on the world's top stage, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), earning high praise from U.S. locals.
Park Ji-hyun's team, the Los Angeles (LA) Sparks, lost 96-106 to the Toronto Tempo in a home game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on the 18th (Korean time) in the "2026 WNBA Regular Season." With this loss, the LA Sparks recorded a season record of one win and three losses.
While the team's defeat was disappointing, the game was a significant milestone for Park Ji-hyun, marking another step forward on the WNBA stage. After making her debut in a short appearance against the Las Vegas Aces on the 11th, Park played an extended amount of minutes on this day, clearly demonstrating her presence. She played for 7 minutes and 33 seconds, recording 2 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists.
Park Ji-hyun entered the court right at the start of the second quarter. She immediately assisted teammate Enneka Ogwumike's score, securing her first assist and offensive point on the WNBA stage. Although she attempted two 3-point shots, she unfortunately missed the rim.
Park Ji-hyun, who fine-tuned her sharp touch, soon scored herself. With 6 minutes and 55 seconds remaining in the second quarter, she connected with Derica Hamby's pass with a clean layup shot, recording her first points in her WNBA debut. It was a moment that left another meaningful footprint in the history of South Korean women's basketball.
Park Ji-hyun, who performed flawlessly on both offense and defense, was substituted out with 4 minutes and 49 seconds left in the second quarter. Her short but intense performance drew a flood of praise from U.S. local media and experts. David Mendez-Yacobitz, a journalist for the U.S. sports outlet ClutchPoints, mentioned Park Ji-hyun on his social media, praising her: "She showed a stable performance during her playing time. It was great energy."
Earlier, on the 11th (Korean time), Park Ji-hyun made history in the 2026 WNBA Regular Season opener against the Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena. She entered the court with 1 minute and 52 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, becoming the third player in South Korean women's basketball history to step onto the WNBA stage. This achievement follows in the footsteps of "legend" Jung Sun-min (2003) and Park Ji-soo (2018), who is currently the top player in the Women's Korean Basketball League.
In that opening game, Park Ji-hyun did not record any points or assists but showed an active presence by attempting a shot during a short period of 1 minute and 52 seconds. Although the team suffered a decisive loss, 78-105, Park Ji-hyun secured playing time from her debut, proving she is one of the Sparks' key resources for this season.
Reagan Pebble, the LA Sparks general manager, also praised Park Ji-hyun at the time of the signing announcement, calling her "a versatile wing with a good understanding of the game" and "a confident shooter with impressive international experience."
A graduate of Sungui Girls' High School, Park Ji-hyun began her career brilliantly by being selected as the first overall pick in the 2018-2019 WKBL Rookie Draft and joining Asan Woori Bank. During her six seasons with Woori Bank, she played in 158 career games, averaging 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, leading the team to three regular-season championships and two championship finals victories, establishing herself as the top guard in the country.
Not resting on her laurels, Park Ji-hyun declared her intention to challenge overseas in 2024. Starting with Bankstown in Australia's NBL1, she gained solid experience by playing in leagues around the world, including Tokomana and Queens (New Zealand) and Azul Marino Mallorca Palma (Spain), and finally achieved her dream of joining the WNBA.
Park Ji-hyun, who quickly shed the tension of her debut and, in just two games since her debut, activated her scoring prowess while earning high praise from locals, is now perfectly landing on the WNBA stage with her solid fundamentals and overseas league experience. Fans are eagerly anticipating what kind of growth trajectory she will continue to show.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
