"Kim Sun-hyung's surgery was not a simple appendectomy... his return will be even later" Early-season setback, Head coach Moon Kyung-un "voices concerns" [Suwon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

It is an early-season setback. The return of Suwon KT key player Kim Sun-hyung (38) is expected to be significantly later than anticipated, as his surgery was for peritonitis rather than simple appendicitis.

Head coach Moon Kyung-un of KT met with reporters ahead of the 2026~2027 KCC Pro Basketball Seoul Samsung regular season opener at Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena at 4:30 p.m. on the 4th, directly explaining Kim Sun-hyung's injury progression and expected return timing.

Regarding Kim Sun-hyung's physical condition, Head coach Moon stated, "It was not a simple appendectomy. The appendix ruptured into the peritoneum, spreading to peritonitis, and he underwent major surgery involving sutures to treat the inflammation." He added, "From my perspective, I think his return will be possible no earlier than early December. An outline of his return will only emerge after the November A-match break."

On the reason for the prolonged absence, he said, "His inflammatory markers did not drop, so he was barely able to be discharged the day before yesterday. When I saw him for the first time yesterday, he had lost a lot of weight and was extremely thin." He expressed concern, adding, "The doctor warned that if he forces himself to play, it could rupture again internally. The hospital estimates recovery takes over a month even for an average person, but as an athlete who must engage in intense physical contact, we are being especially cautious."

Not only Kim Sun-hyung, but the entire team is suffering from a streak of injuries. Head coach Moon also addressed the return timing of Moon Seong-gon, stating, "It will take until the mid-to-late season for Seong-gon to come back as well. It is because he underwent such a major surgery." He revealed, "Ha Yun-ki's current physical condition is at 50% level, and other players are not in normal shape either. Every time I write the roster, I worry about their stamina; they seem like glass cannons."

Amid the consecutive departures of key players, Head coach Moon's survival solution for the early season is accumulating wins. Head coach Moon emphasized, "It is the same for any team, but to make the team solid in the mid-to-late season, we must secure many wins in the early stage. If there are too many losses, the team atmosphere sinks, and injuries feel even more painful. We must somehow lift the atmosphere through wins and endure."

Regarding their opener opponent, Samsung, Head coach Moon previewed strict rebounding discipline. While stating, "Since Samsung is a team that plays primarily based on three-point shots, our first goal is to give up as few perimeter shots as possible," he explained, "Even when three-pointers go in well, there are many balls that miss and bounce off, so we focused on rebounds. We may have weaknesses in rebounding if we switch defense, so we prepared to handle both perimeter defense and rebounding simultaneously without switching."

Regarding offensive routes, he added, "I instructed them to actively handle the ball in early offense, even if it involves some risk, before the ball reaches Paris Bass. We also prepared patterns utilizing Bass."

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*This content was translated by AI.