'Korean national team big man' Lee Jong-hyun to play in Japan next season... renews contract with Yamagata

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jong-hyun (32, Yamagata Wyverns), a former member of the Korean national team, will continue to play in Japan next season.

Yamagata, which belongs to Japan's B2 League (second division), announced on the 6th (Korea time) via its club website and official SNS that it has re-signed Lee Jong-hyun as an Asia quota player. His jersey number is 32.

Lee Jong-hyun was once considered one of Korea's top basketball prospects. He was selected for the Seong In (CEO) team even during his time at Kyungbok High School, in addition to the Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) team. As the ace of Korea University, he was selected first overall in the 2016 rookie draft by Ulsan Hyundai Mobis and entered the professional league.

However, aside from his first two debut seasons, he faced various difficulties, including injuries. Lee Jong-hyun then played for Goyang Orion, Goyang Carrot (now Goyang Sono), and Jeonju KCC (now Busan KCC), and from 2023 to 2025, he played for Anyang Jung-gwanjang.

Last year, he declared his intention to join a foreign league and embarked on a new challenge. His destination was Yamagata.

Yamagata finished the previous regular season with 15 wins and 45 losses, remaining in the lower ranks. They placed sixth among the seven teams in the B2 Eastern Division.

While team ace James Bell averaged 16.6 points, Lee Jong-hyun played as a sixth man and steadily fulfilled his role. He appeared in 46 regular-season games, averaging 4.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.8 blocks. Despite the team's poor performance and a competitive environment with many foreign big men, he proved his value.

Yamagata also recognized Lee Jong-hyun's dedication and moved forward with a contract renewal, continuing their partnership. Previously, Japan's Basket King introduced Lee Jong-hyun as "a Korean big man boasting a 206cm height and 110kg body," noting that he "played for the Korean Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) team and also participated in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup."

Through the club, Lee Jong-hyun expressed his feelings about the contract renewal, saying, "I am happy to meet the fans of Yamagata once again. I ask for your continued support next season. Thank you."

Meanwhile, the Japanese professional basketball league will undergo major changes starting next season. The existing B1 (first division), B2 (second division), and B3 (third division) will be renamed B.League Premier (first division), B.League One (second division), and B.League Next (third division), respectively. It is not just a name change; the promotion and relegation system has also changed significantly.

Previously, promotion and relegation were determined based on team performance. Going forward, participating teams in each division will be selected after various assessments, including average attendance and club revenue. Yamagata is scheduled to play in the Northern Division of B.League One, the second-tier league, next season.

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*This content was translated by AI.