China also expressed admiration: "Lee Hyun-joong, who gave up 1.4 billion won to start from the bottom, has taken flight toward the NBA with a military service exemption" [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

Chinese media also praised Lee Hyun-joong (26, Portland Trail Blazers), who is once again heading to the world's top stage, the NBA, with a military service exemption in hand after winning the Asian Games gold medal. His relentless competitive spirit earned high praise from Chinese outlets.

On the 22nd, China's leading portal media "Sohu.com" focused intensely on Lee Hyun-joong, the star player of South Korea's Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team, alongside news of the team's Asian Games victory. The outlet stated, "Key player Lee Hyun-joong of the South Korean national team has secured a military service exemption, giving him wings for his future NBA challenge."

South Korea's men's basketball team defeated their formidable rival Japan 67-57 in the final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at the Nagoya Aichi International Arena on the 20th, reclaiming the gold medal for the first time since the 2014 Incheon tournament. The conditions during that final were nearly disastrous. Due to a failure by the organizing committee to provide official shuttle buses, shooting practice was completely canceled on the morning of the game day. During the match, blatant biased calls favoring the host nation Japan continued, compounding severe misfortunes.

However, even the home-field advantage of the host country proved futile against ace Lee Hyun-joong, who dominated the court. After finishing the first half tied 28-28, Lee's one-man show exploded in the decisive second half. Even from difficult angles where the rim was barely visible, he continuously sank three-pointers. He also actively participated in offensive rebounds and deliberately drew offensive fouls without holding back, completely crushing Japan's will to chase. Leaving behind an astonishing stat line of 27 points, 18 rebounds (4 offensive), 3 assists, and 2 steals, Lee Hyun-joong shed tears of emotion on the court as the final buzzer sounded.

Behind this dazzling performance lay a decisive choice to leave behind immense comfort. Last season, Lee Hyun-joong played as the main scorer for Nagasaki Velka in Japan's B.League, earning MVP honors in the playoffs and directly leading his team to their first-ever championship. Had he stayed on the Japanese stage, he would have been guaranteed an ultra-high salary exceeding 0.1 billion dollars (approximately 1.4 billion won) along with top-tier treatment.

However, instead of resting on his laurels, Lee Hyun-joong chose to head to the United States. Recently, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Portland for the 2026–2027 NBA season and embarked on a new challenge. The Exhibit 10 contract leads to joining a G League affiliate team (Rip City Remix) after camp participation, capping total incentives at around 140,000 dollars (approximately 190 million won). This represents an uncertain plunge into the bottom ranks, dropping to just one-tenth of the value guaranteed in Japan.

Sohu.com also expressed deep admiration for Lee Hyun-joong's thorough professionalism alongside his situation. In an interview, he stated, "Life abroad is inherently difficult. Once a person starts making excuses, their dreams stop." He added, "Even failing to seize opportunities in the Summer League is an excuse. If I were truly strong enough, I would have played regardless. You must push yourself to your limits; even if the body feels tired, the mind remains at ease."

Regarding these remarks, the outlet praised, "Lee Hyun-joong's cold-blooded mentality and self-objectification, which drive himself to the extreme without making excuses, are worthy of respect. Having left behind a high salary exceeding 1.4 billion won, his passion for starting from the very bottom has now been given wings by the military service exemption."

Lee Hyun-joong, who overcame hostile home-field conditions and various adverse circumstances to secure the gold medal in person after 12 years and shed the heavy burden of military service, has captured the attention not only of Korea but also of Chinese basketball fans with his steadfast determination to choose a difficult challenge over comfortable top-tier treatment.

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*This content was translated by AI.