[On-site Interview] "I Wanted Im Yeon-seo, But..." Coach Choi Yoon-a Explains Why She Chose Kaneda Mana as the Top Pick... "The Present Was More Important Than the Future"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Im Yeon-seo is also a tempting player. But the present is more important than the future."

There was a clear reason behind Incheon Shinhan Bank's decision to select Kaneda Mana as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026–2027 Women's Professional Basketball League (WKBL) Rookie Draft. Coach Choi Yoon-a of Shinhan Bank placed high value on "experience" that could immediately strengthen the team.

On the 19th, at the 2026–2027 WKBL Rookie Draft held at Cheongju Gymnasium, Shinhan Bank selected Kaneda as the No. 1 overall pick.

The player mentioned alongside Kaneda as a strong candidate for the No. 1 pick was Im Yeon-seo from Suwha Girls' High School in Gwangju. Known as "the second Kim Dan-bi," Im dominated high school basketball this season and was regarded as the top prospect of this draft.

However, Shinhan Bank chose Kaneda. Im Yeon-seo was selected with the No. 2 overall pick by Busan BNK.

After the draft, Coach Choi Yoon-a admitted about Im Yeon-seo: "I am also a guard and certainly find her tempting."

At the same time, the criteria for the selection were clear. Coach Choi explained, "We could not ignore experience," adding, "I believed that the present is more important than the future."

Kaneda is already a player with extensive professional experience in Japan. After graduating from Osaka University of Human Sciences, she played for Shonan V-Magic and Toyota Antelopes in Japan's W League.

Although she enters the WKBL stage under the label of "rookie," her professional experience stands out even among this year's draft participants. This is the main reason Shinhan Bank viewed her as an "immediate contributor."

However, Coach Choi also acknowledged that Kaneda would need time to adapt to the new WKBL environment.

She said, "Although she has extensive experience in Japan, there will certainly be differences with Korean basketball," and added, "First, it is important to give her time to adapt."

She also expressed optimism, stating, "Still, I believe she can handle 10 to 15 minutes or more," and noted, "We will provide time for her to adapt starting now."

Fortunately, Shinhan Bank also has another Japanese-Korean player Hong Yu-soon and Noguchi Sakura, who joined via the Asia quota. They are expected to help Kaneda adapt as well.

Coach Choi explained, "Having two players who can speak Japanese, or even three, makes a difference."

She continued, "Korean players must also support her. Although Kaneda is skilled, it is completely different from the Japanese league. We will give her time to adapt and try to understand what style she prefers," adding, "We are looking forward to her joining us soon for training."

She further praised Kaneda's shooting ability and movement using picks, saying, "It will be tactically beneficial."

Coach Choi plans to primarily use Kaneda at the 2nd or 3 position. She explained, "Although she is not particularly tall, she has experience leading in rebounds during her university days. She is good not only in scoring but also in fast breaks."

Depending on the situation, she may even be assigned to larger positions.

Coach Choi praised Kaneda's multi-position capability, stating, "She can handle up to the 4th position defensively."

However, there are realistic concerns. Shinhan Bank has exercised its No. 1 overall draft right for three consecutive years up to this year. Following Hong Yu-soon in 2024 and Lee Ga-hyun in 2025, they selected Kaneda first this time.

However, Coach Choi did not believe that acquiring the No. 1 overall pick would immediately make their team significantly stronger.

She cautioned, "It is true that we picked a No. 1 overall pick in the first round, but other teams also strengthened most of the positions they needed through this draft. It is not just our team that has improved. It will not be easy."

She added, "Recently, players who can immediately contribute to the team have been emerging from the first round," noting, "Players with experience in Japan are also continuously joining, so as a coach, I feel both pressure and responsibility."

Finally, Coach Choi emphasized once again why she chose Kaneda, stating, "We prioritized players who can handle multiple positions."

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*This content was translated by AI.