“(Kim) Jong-kyu has a bad knee, so he plays every morning with painkillers.” – Doo Kyung-min-
“I have to get tested because my knees are not good. “I’ll be absent for the time being.” – Coach Lee Sang-beom ahead of the Changwon LG match on the 31st
Kim Jong-kyu, who is defending the Wonju DB goal after Kim Joo-sung. He took his first step on the professional stage in a showdown with Anyang KGC on November 1, 2013 with Changwon LG.
Coincidentally, his team DB was also scheduled to play against his old team on November 1, 2022, the ninth anniversary of his debut. Although he wanted to play with his teammates, he couldn’t accompany him on the expedition to Changwon due to knee pain.
Despite Kim Jong-kyu’s absence, his teammates gathered as a one-team team and won four consecutive games after winning two consecutive games. He succeeded in engraving the name tag Wonju DB at the top of the league with a strong momentum. However, the continuous injury issues of key players such as Doo Kyung-min, Kim Jong-kyu, and Freeman have always made manager Lee Sang-beom nervous.
On November 3, when he thought that Kim Jong-kyu, the mainstay of the Miuna Gouna team, would continue to be absent, he proudly put his name on the roster against Anyang KGC.
Lee Sang-beom is more thorough than anyone else in managing players, so he expected to play for 10 minutes or at most 15 minutes. However, Kim Jong-kyu stayed on the court for more time than Kang Sang-jae and showed outstanding performance in the paint zone after a long time.
After block shots of Han Seung-hee, Lens Abando, and Darryl Monroe in turn, even a finger ceremony that excites Windies. The finishing touch was Kim Jong-kyu’s one-man quick dunk.
Of course, there were scenes that made me feel that my physical condition and balance were definitely incomplete. He has failed four free throws in a row, boasting a 72.9% success rate in 406 games. He and director Lee Sang-beom were also caught on camera smiling a series of disappointed smiles.
It is the first time since March 17, 2017, that he has won more than four free throws and failed to score one. Dong-in Doo Kyung-min, who tried to revive Kim Jong-kyu’s performance and energy, evoked the atmosphere of the stadium by inducing applause and response from the audience.
In the second half, coach Lee Sang-beom makes this comment to the team.
“Guys, I can’t move, but let’s do it a little more”
DB lost its advantage by 15 points and gave up its victory to KGC due to a lack of physical strength due to a tight schedule, poor foul management ability, and allowing an attack rebound in particularly poor shot condition. Coach Lee Sang-beom was also well aware of the team’s situation and did not be greedy. The regular league is like a long marathon of 42.195KM, so you don’t have to risk your life in one game at the beginning of the season unless it’s an important game at stake.
Kim Jong-kyu is also a high-paying player in the league. In an increasingly increasing three-point shot attempt for efficiency and productivity in spacing and offense, “Shooter? Why are you turning around from the outside?” It is also criticized a lot, such as “Go under the net.” In the world of professional sports, it is also an inevitable arrow if it does not meet fans’ expectations.
But it’s part of the play among the fans. I also want you to know that there are much more fans cheering for his great move in the future. The form has subsided slightly compared to the past, but the bottom of the DB where he is and the bottom of the DB without are clearly different from the weight. I hope you will return to the court in good health and continue to present great basketball to your fans.
I finish the article hoping that all KBL players, including Kim Jong-kyu, will stand in front of fans with good performance without getting hurt.