"Lee Hyun-jung, signed by Portland, led Korea to gold medal" — U.S. media also spotlighted his outstanding performance with AG... "Korean basketball is strong," bold interview highlighted

*This content was translated by AI.

"Lee Hyun-jung, signed by Portland, led Korea to a gold medal."

U.S. media outlets focused their attention on Lee Hyun-jung, who led the Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team to its first Asian Games title in 12 years. In particular, local media of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, which signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Lee Hyun-jung, intensively covered his gold medal performance and ambitious aspirations.

On the 23rd (Korean time), Bleacher Report, a U.S. outlet primarily covering Portland news, reported that "Lee Hyun-jung, who signed with Portland, led Korea to a gold medal."

The media introduced Lee Hyun-jung as "a player acquired by Portland" and gave significant coverage to his Asian Games performance.

On the 20th, South Korea defeated host nation Japan 67-57 in the men's basketball final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to claim the gold medal. This marked the country's first Asian Games title since the 2014 Incheon tournament, a span of 12 years.

At the center of it all was Lee Hyun-jung. Starting with 23 points against Saudi Arabia in the group stage opener, he scored 24 points against Indonesia. In the third group match, he led his team to victory with 16 points against Japan and exploded for 28 points in the quarterfinals against Jordan. In the semifinals against Iran, he poured in 26 points, including seven three-pointers, to help secure a spot in the final.

In the long-awaited final against Japan, Lee Hyun-jung's performance shone brightly. He scored a game-high 27 points for both teams combined and grabbed an impressive 18 rebounds, demonstrating strong presence near the basket. He also hit five three-pointers to break down Japan's defense.

Bleacher Report highly praised that "Lee Hyun-jung's game-high 27 points led the Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team to its first Asian Games gold medal since 2014."

This performance drew even more attention as it came shortly after Lee Hyun-jung's connection with Portland began.

Ahead of this year's Asian Games, Portland signed Lee Hyun-jung to an Exhibit 10 contract. The Exhibit 10 is a one-year non-guaranteed deal, through which Lee Hyun-jung will aim to earn a spot on the NBA's official roster via training camp.

Bleacher Report also gave significant coverage to an interview with Lee Hyun-jung. The media reported that he revealed his dreams of competing in the FIBA World Cup, the Olympics, and on the NBA stage.

In particular, it highlighted his remarks expressing strong pride in Korean basketball.

Lee Hyun-jung said, "I want to hear people say that Korean basketball is not weak but strong."

His ambition went beyond his personal goal of joining the NBA; he aimed to prove the competitiveness of Korean basketball on the global stage.

Bleacher Report noted, "The beginning may be humble, but Lee Hyun-jung's dream is big."

Lee Hyun-jung's mother is Sung Jeong-a, a director of the Korean Basketball Association and a "legend" who represented South Korea in women's basketball. She was a key figure in winning the silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and also contributed to securing the gold medal at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

On the corporate league stage, she played for Dongbang Life Insurance, the predecessor of Samsung Life, experiencing five championships in the National Basketball Championship. In 1989, she was also named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Last year, she served as a selection committee member for the "2025 Futures Star Awards" basketball category, an award established by StarNews to promote the development of Korean sports and revitalize amateur athletics.

Bleacher Report introduced that "Lee Hyun-jung is not the first player in his family to win an Asian Games gold medal," adding that "his mother, Sung Jeong-a, played as a center for the Korean Yeo Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team that won the 1990 Asian Games."

Regarding his mother's advice, Lee Hyun-jung said, "She told me to stay calm and composed, and to be myself. I truly feel it is an honor to have her as my mother. She taught me not to lose humility and helped me become a better player," expressing his gratitude.

Now, attention turns toward his NBA challenge. Bleacher Report noted that "if Lee Hyun-jung steps onto the NBA stage, he will become the first Korean player to play in the NBA since Ha Seung-jin." Ha Seung-jin, a legendary center who played for KCC and other teams, made history as the first Korean player in the NBA by playing for Portland during his career.

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*This content was translated by AI.