Despite the departures of Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong, "The Heo Brothers Remain Strong": Defending Champion KCC Finds New Hope in Second-Year Player Yoon Gi-chan

*This content was translated by AI.

Defending champion Busan KCC is set to defend its throne with a transformed roster.

KCC, led by head coach Lee Sang-min, will face Changwon LG in the official opening game of the 2026~2027 KCC Pro Basketball Regular Season at 2 p.m. on the 3rd at Busan Sajik Indoor Gymnasium.

Significant changes have occurred within the championship roster.

With Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong, who were key figures in last season's championship finals victory, both leaving the team simultaneously, it has become difficult to avoid a decline in overall strength.

Song Gyo-chang transferred to the Osaka Evessa in the Japanese professional basketball league, while Choi Jun-yong became an unrestricted free agent to pursue a challenge on the American stage. The simultaneous departure of two tall forwards who played crucial roles in both offense and defense has created a gap for KCC that is not easily filled.

Nevertheless, KCC still has the Heo brothers.

Heo Hoon, who was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of last season's championship finals, remains the core guard orchestrating KCC's offense without change.

Heo Woong, who will wear the captain's armband in the new season, is also a go-to scorer responsible for delivering points in critical moments. With Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong gone, the offensive burden placed on the two brothers has grown even heavier.

In the open matches, neither player was able to fully assess their game feel.

Heo Hoon missed both open matches due to a lower back injury. Heo Woong recorded 9 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the match against LG on the 25th of last month, but due to poor condition, he rested for the following game against Daegu Korea Gas Corporation.

Fortunately, it is reported that their injuries are not severe enough to lead to long-term absences. It will be important whether they can return to full strength from the early stages of the regular season.

In addition, veteran big man Jang Jae-seok, who contributed to the South Korean men's basketball team's first gold medal in 12 years at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, is a reliable asset.

Another player to watch closely is Yoon Gi-chan.

Yoon Gi-chan, a 194cm forward entering his second professional season, has been one of the candidates to fill the void left by Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong, receiving numerous opportunities since the off-season.

In his rookie season last year, Yoon Gi-chan appeared in 38 regular season games, averaging 6.3 points and 2.0 rebounds. Amid high expectations, Yoon Gi-chan also prepared for the new season by refining his shooting balance and individual skills.

He has shown potential in actual game situations as well.

In the open match against LG on the 25th of last month, Yoon Gi-chan played 36 minutes and 19 seconds, scoring 13 points. He hit two three-pointers and added 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

Although KCC lost to LG 82-88 at the time, Yoon Gi-chan's performance was a clear gain. His average stats across the two open matches were 6.5 points and 2.5 rebounds.

In the game against Korea Gas Corporation, Kim Dong-hyun scored 9 points, among other domestic players who received opportunities amidst the absence of key figures. As growth from young players is essential in addition to Heo Hoon and Heo Woong to endure the long regular season, this serves as a positive signal.

The power of the foreign players is also formidable.

Sean Long, who contributed significantly to last season's championship, has reunited with KCC. Sean Long averaged 19.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in 54 regular season games last year, and guarded the paint by averaging 18.4 points and 13.4 rebounds in the championship finals as well.

Recognized for his contribution to the title, he successfully signed a contract extension and will serve as KCC's primary foreign player option this season.

Newcomer Louis King has also built up early expectations. Having experienced the National Basketball Association (NBA), the G League, and the Chinese stage, King is evaluated as a forward equipped with both perimeter shooting and one-on-one offensive abilities.

In the open matches, he proved this with his stats.

King played 30 minutes and 59 seconds against LG, exploding for an impressive 32 points and 15 rebounds. He followed up by scoring 23 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the game against Korea Gas Corporation, recording over 20 points in two consecutive games.

Sean Long also demonstrated his continued strength, recording 13 points and 6 rebounds against LG, and 21 points and 14 rebounds against Korea Gas Corporation.

Starting this season, two foreign players can be on the court simultaneously during the second and third quarters. From KCC's perspective, deploying King and Long together is a card that can partially offset the gaps in height and scoring power left by Song Gyo-chang and Choi Jun-yong.

Of course, there are still many challenges to overcome.

KCC recorded two losses in the open matches. While neither game featured a full-strength lineup, it was also confirmed that time is needed for the newly assembled players to develop chemistry.

However, KCC has passionate Busan fans.

2,997 people attended the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium for the open match against LG, and 2,281 attended for the game against Korea Gas Corporation. It is expected that even more fans will fill the arena for the official opening game. The fervent support of home fans can serve as another source of strength for the defending champions.

Head coach Lee Sang-min promised fans more enjoyable basketball ahead of the new season.

At the opening media day, Head Coach Lee stated, "Last year, the label of 'Super Team' was a heavy burden, but this year we will provide better results and fun through enjoyable basketball," revealing his determination.

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*This content was translated by AI.