[Official] "No 'National Treasure' center, no 'Ace Guard': Park Ji-soo and Park Ji-hyun absent from AG... Korean women's basketball to compete with 11 players without additional call-ups"

*This content was translated by AI.

Neither Park Ji-soo (Cheongju KB) of the Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, nor 'Ace Guard' Park Ji-hyun (LA Sparks), will participate.

The Korea Basketball Association announced on the 14th the final roster of 11 players for the women's national basketball team competing at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

South Korea will compete in this year's Asian Games without key players Park Ji-soo and Park Ji-hyun.

The Basketball Association stated, "Following the previously announced 13 athletes selected for intensive training, neither Park Ji-hyun nor Park Ji-soo could ultimately join, so the team will proceed with a total of 11 players. We have also decided not to make any additional call-ups to fill the gap left by these two players."

First, 'National Treasure' center Park Ji-soo cannot join the national team due to injury.

The Basketball Association explained, "Park Ji-soo demonstrated strong determination to join the Park Ji-su-neun (CEO) team, maintained consistent communication with the coaching staff, and focused on recovery while keeping the possibility of participation open. However, after comprehensively considering her current physical condition and recovery progress, it was ultimately decided that she will not participate in this tournament."

Park Ji-hyun will also be absent from the Asian Games as she must fulfill her WNBA schedule with her team during the competition period.

While the departure of two key players is undoubtedly painful, Park Soo-ho, head coach of the Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, expressed confidence in the existing roster's organizational strength and his intention to compete with them.

Coach Park said, "Since summer, the players have trained together, building their chemistry and developing the team's organizational structure throughout this process."

He further emphasized, "It is regrettable that Park Ji-soo cannot participate, but rather than replacing her with a new player at this stage, we will focus even more on the 11th players who have already built cohesion, address any shortcomings, and deliver strong performances at the Asian Games."

The Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team has been preparing for the Asian Games since being called up for intensive training in July, followed by a friendly tour in Japan in August and the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in September.

After completing the World Cup schedule, the national team returned home on the 10th. Following a brief period of reorganization, they are scheduled to depart again for Japan on the 15th to participate in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.