MVP vote leaders 1 and 2 from the same team, fierce internal rivalry "No desire for individual awards, but..." [WKBL Media Day On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

A fierce internal competition is set to unfold. National team shooter Kang I-seul, who donned a new uniform this season, and veteran forward Kim Dan-bi (both of Asan Woori Bank) received the strongest support in the race for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the new season's regular league.

WKBL released the results of a season prediction survey conducted on 27 among 719 fans, 109 players, and 43 media members ahead of the KB Star Banking 2026~2027 Women's Professional Basketball Opening Media Day held at the Riviera Hotel Cheongdam in Yeongdong-daero, Seoul.

In the regular league MVP prediction that drew the most attention, the names of two Woori Bank players topped the list. Kang I-seul took first place in both the fan vote (160 votes) and the media vote (14 votes). In the player vote, Kim Dan-bi, who received overwhelming trust from active teammates, secured first place with 27 votes.

The battle for second and third place in each category was also intense. In the fan vote, Heo Ye-eun (88 votes, KB Stars) and Kim Dan-bi (81 votes) took second and third place, respectively. In the player vote, Kang I-seul and Park Ji-soo (KB Stars) each received 17 votes to tie for second place. In the media vote, Park Ji-soo (10 votes) took second place, while Heo Ye-eun (7 votes) claimed third.

Kang I-seul, who received a high number of votes as an MVP candidate, focused on team victory rather than personal ambition. Kang said, "To win the championship, everyone's performance is needed. If the team wins, the MVP will naturally follow," adding, "I have set goals, but I do not harbor personal desires. My goal is to win every game and move to a higher level, so I am not thinking about the MVP yet."

She also shared her thoughts on facing her former team, KB Stars, and its key players Park Ji-soo and Heo Ye-eun. Kang stated, "It has been a long time since I faced Ji-soo. She is very tall and a difficult player to stop. Heo Ye-eun is also tricky, and KB Stars is a well-organized team," resolving herself by saying, "Since we are facing them as opponents, it seems we need to play more solidly."

In response, Park Ji-soo, who is considered a strong MVP candidate, expressed caution regarding the matchup. Park said, "Last year, both Kang I-seul and I were in the FA period. We talked to each other that no matter what choice we made, it would be good if it was a happy and right decision. To do that, I need to work harder," adding, "I-seul, whom I face as an opponent, was indeed powerful. It seems we will have to pool our brains with teammates to figure out how to stop her."

Kim Dan-bi, who now shares the same team at Woori Bank, welcomed Kang I-seul's arrival. Kim said, "There were difficult parts where I had to bear the burden alone, but when Kang I-seul came, I told her thank you because I could put down some of the weight on my shoulders and pass it on," adding, "When she joined our team, I urged her not to get injured and to focus on building her body through exercise first."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original