*This content was translated by AI.
As South Korea's Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team aims for its first Asian Games gold medal in 12 years, neighboring Asian countries are growing increasingly wary of its formidable strength.
On the 11th (Korean time), China's Sohu.com reported, "At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the South Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team is being evaluated as the strongest favorite to win."
In fact, under coach Nicholas Mazur, South Korea has been on a winning streak in this tournament. After defeating Saudi Arabia 82-66 in their Group A opener on the 10th, they crushed Indonesia 102-48 on the 11th. With two consecutive victories, they have secured their spot in the quarterfinals.
If South Korea defeats their "eternal rival" Japan in the final group stage match scheduled for 7 p.m. on the 13th, they will advance to the tournament bracket as the top seed in their group.
South Korea's powerful lineup has also captured the attention of local Asian media outlets.
Sohu.com particularly praised the performance of "South Korea's ace," Lee Hyun-jung. In the first match against Saudi Arabia, Lee led his team to victory by scoring a team-high 23 points. He also scored a game-high 24 points in just about 18 minutes played against Indonesia.
Sohu.com evaluated Lee Hyun-jung, stating, "He has shown the qualities of Asia's top forward."
The outlet also noted that South Korea had not won the men's basketball gold medal at the Asian Games since the 2014 Incheon edition, a span of 12 years, but explained that South Korea treats every Asian Games as highly important and has consistently built strong rosters.
It also mentioned the military service issue. Winning the Asian Games gold medal could grant an exemption from mandatory military service, which is also a significant matter for Lee Hyun-jung, who continues to challenge himself on the American stage.
Sohu.com stated, "This can be seen as one of the important reasons why Lee Hyun-jung chose to participate in this tournament," and added, "Lee hopes to seize this opportunity to claim the championship and continue his professional career."
Defending champion Philippines also expressed its wariness toward South Korea.
Philippine basketball specialist outlet Spin analyzed rival nations that could threaten their team's back-to-back Asian Games titles, classifying both South Korea and Japan as "knockout killers." This means they are extremely dangerous opponents who will not be easy to face in the tournament bracket. It also implies they are strong favorites to win this tournament.
Regarding South Korea specifically, Spin explained, "They have assembled a lineup almost identical to the players who recently competed in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers," and added, "In two exhibition matches played against the Philippines ahead of the Asian Games, they completely defeated the current Philippine national team."
South Korea played two exhibition matches against the Philippines just before the Asian Games, winning 81-55 and 69-42 respectively. The combined point differential across both games was a staggering 53 points.
The outlet cited South Korea's superior shooting ability and organizational strength as key advantages at the time. Spin evaluated, "South Korea demonstrated elite-level shooting skills and organizational strength that could pose significant problems for other championship favorites."
It further analyzed, "In terms of height alone, the Philippines and South Korea are similar. However, if the Philippines meets South Korea early in the tournament bracket, it could become a nightmare matchup. The reason lies in South Korea's athleticism and precise shooting ability."
The outlet also gave high praise to the roster assembled by South Korea. It reported, "To end a 12-year drought in Asian Games gold medals, South Korea has put together the best possible roster they could assemble."
It then highlighted Lee Hyun-jung as a Han Guk-ui (CEO) player. Spin emphasized, "Led by Lee Hyun-jung, who recently received an NBA call-up, South Korea clearly shows its determination to compete seriously in this tournament."
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*This content was translated by AI.
