[Interview] "How do you control two hot-tempered players?" Coach Yang Dong-geun's surprising answer... Prim and Beasley's 'fighting spirit' has also changed domestic players

*This content was translated by AI.

Ulsan Hyundai Mobis is smiling at its new foreign player combination. As Gaige Prim and Darius Beasley have both shown a strong presence during the team's training camp in the Philippines, Coach Yang Dong-geun of Hyundai Mobis has positively viewed the two players' 'energy' and 'fighting spirit'.

Coach Yang Dong-geun, who is leading the team at the Philippines training camp, told StarNews on the 11th, "Since the rules have changed to allow two foreign players to play simultaneously starting from the new season, we are paying close attention to this aspect."

The KBL will change its foreign player participation system starting from the 2026-2027 season. The rule will be expanded from 'two foreign players on roster, one allowed to play' to 'two foreign players on roster, two allowed to play'.

Naturally, not only the performance of foreign players but also their chemistry and synergy when both are on the court together have become even more important. Hyundai Mobis has high expectations for Prim and Beasley.

Fortunately, despite joining the team recently, both players have already shown a clear presence from the exhibition games.

In the game against Adamson on the 10th, Prim recorded 26 points, five assists, 10 rebounds, and two steals in just 19 minutes and 50 seconds of playing time. Beasley also played about 20 minutes, posting 17 points, four assists, and 14 rebounds. Both players achieved double-doubles, and Hyundai Mobis won decisively with a score of 98-69.

Their performances continued in the game against SGA on the 11th. Beasley scored 29 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out three assists, while Prim recorded 25 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists. Both players achieved double-doubles for the second consecutive day.

Although Hyundai Mobis narrowly lost 78-79, they were able to clearly confirm the power of their new foreign player combination.

Coach Yang Dong-geun gave both players high marks not only for their performance but also for their personalities and attitudes. He smiled and said, "Other media outlets have described both players as hot-tempered, and everyone is worried about 'how to control them'."

He continued, "But once the basketball game ends, they can't be so gentle like that. Both are like that."

This means they are players who do not need to be worried about at all off the court.

On the contrary, Coach Yang viewed their strong competitive spirit as an asset. He said, "Certainly, both have such a strong desire to win that there are some issues," but also added, "Nevertheless, they are showing excellent fighting spirit."

Even more welcome is the fact that this energy does not end with just the two foreign players. Coach Yang emphasized, "Domestic players are also gradually becoming more competitive."

Prim is already a well-known player to both Hyundai Mobis and the KBL. Having played for Hyundai Mobis for three seasons from 2022-2023 through 2024-2025, Prim consistently protected the team's interior. After leaving the team, he returned this season to wear the Hyundai Mobis uniform once again.

Coach Yang has a relatively clear picture of Prim. He explained, "Prim is a player we know how to handle. We are thinking through games about what additional instructions we need to give him beyond what he has done before."

He further expressed satisfaction by saying, "He has become calmer than when he was here before."

As for Beasley, who comes from the NBA, the team is still in the process of finding the best way to utilize him. After being selected as the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, Beasley built his NBA career with teams including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Utah Jazz.

Coach Yang said, "We have watched a lot of Beasley's footage, but we are still figuring out how to best utilize him for our team. We are trying different roles and closely observing what he prefers and enjoys."

He further added, "Despite his tall stature, he is very fast and has excellent ball-handling skills. He is also a very selfless player."

In fact, due to his overly selfless play style, the coach is even instructing him to be more aggressive in attacking. Coach Yang revealed, "Right now, I am telling Beasley that it's okay to be more aggressive, so he should practice being more aggressive during training sessions."

Asian quota player Abadiano is also showing good form during the Philippines training camp. In the two games played over the past two days, he scored a total of 24 points. Coach Yang explained, "Abadiano is another case who recently joined in the Philippines. He is currently in the stage where we are gradually teaching him the parts he prepared for during off-season training."

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*This content was translated by AI.