[Official] Two legends depart... BNK parts ways with coaches Byun Yeon-ha and Lee Jong-ae

*This content was translated by AI.

Busan BNK of the Women's Professional Basketball League will see coaches Byun Yeon-ha (46) and Lee Jong-ae (51) leave the team.

On the 4th, BNK announced via the club's official SNS that "coaches Byun Yeon-ha and Lee Jong-ae have concluded their tenure with the club."

Both coaches are legendary players who represented Korean women's basketball. Coach Byun Yeon-ha debuted in 1999 and won the Rookie of the Year award that same year, serving as one of the league's top shooters until her retirement in 2016. During her playing career, she was named the Regular Season MVP three times and selected to the Best Five ten times, recording a total of 9,498 points, an average of 14.75 points per game, and a 35.0% three-point shooting percentage.

After retiring as a player, she pursued a coaching career. Coach Byun received coaching training at the Stanford University women's basketball team in the United States for two years and joined BNK as a coach in 2021. During the 2024-2025 season, she assisted BNK head coach Park Jung-eun and contributed to the club's first-ever championship title in its history.

Coach Lee Jong-ae, who joined BNK in 2024, was also a center who represented Korean women's basketball during her playing days. As a member of the national team, she appeared in four Olympic Games from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to the 2008 Beijing Olympics alongside head coach Park Jung-eun. She was particularly a key figure in the 2000 Sydney Olympics quarterfinal miracle. In the WKBL, she won the Block Shot Award an impressive 11 times, earning the nickname "Queen of Block Shots."

BNK wrote a new chapter in its history by winning its first-ever championship title in the 2024-2025 season, but last season it finished fifth in the league and failed to advance to the playoffs. Consequently, the team is facing changes in its coaching staff ahead of the next season.

BNK stated, "We sincerely thank you for your dedication and hard work for the team and will cherish all moments spent together with the club," and added, "We ask for your continued support and encouragement for the new challenges and future endeavors of coaches Byun Yeon-ha and Lee Jong-ae."

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*This content was translated by AI.