I worked hard in the offseason, and I thought it would be unfair to go out injured like this,” explains Yeo, who had a tooth extraction and implant done in one day after breaking his tooth in the first game.
Busan KCC lost Choi Jun-yong to injury. Jeon Jun-beom was also injured in the KBL Cup. Song Kyo-chang will likely take some time to return to action after being discharged from the Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Commerce). The team is not at full strength at the start of the season.
The team is missing two players who are expected to play from the start of the season. This is a big blow for KCC, which has fewer players available.
Among them, Yeo Jun-hyung has been getting some playing time. Yeo was drafted by KCC with the 17th overall pick in last year’s rookie draft.
He didn’t play much during his time at Korea University due to injuries. He didn’t play a single regular season game last season.
Yeo has played in all five games this season. While her average minutes are not high (7:18), she has been working hard in the offseason to earn her playing time. Furthermore, there is Seo Jung-hyun, who was better than Yeo Jun-hyung in college.
When asked why he gave Yeo more playing time than Seo, KCC head coach Jeon Chang-jin said, “Seo can only defend inside the post, while Yeo can defend outside. Our offense is fast-paced, and (Yeo) has speed and can participate in the fast break.” “He’s just starting to play. I don’t expect much from him, but he’s the only backup to Seung-hyun. If Seung-hyun’s backup is playing in the post, Jeong-hyun might come in. Nowadays, there are very few players who insist on playing the No. 4 (power forward) in the post. Hyundai Mobis is one of them. LG also has Yang Hong-seok and Jung Hee-jae at the 4. It’s there, but it’s still better to have a player with a better offensive role, so Jun Hyung-i plays.”레모나토토
There have been twists and turns. Yeo Jun-hyung suffered the injury in the home opener against Seoul Samsung on March 22, when he collided with Kofi Coburn. It looked like he might not be able to play right away, but he quickly returned.
We spoke with him before the team’s game against Changwon LG on Tuesday.
When asked about his return, he said, “I can’t get used to it. Breathing and other things are uncomfortable. I wear (a mouthpiece) when I practice, so it’s okay.” “I got the implant and tooth extraction done in one day. I worked hard in the offseason, and I thought it would be unfair to go out injured like this. “I didn’t rush anything, and the pain wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I just wanted to get it over with. I just wanted to do it quickly.”
When asked how he trained during the offseason, Yeo Jun-hyung said, “I worked really hard, and I was looking straight ahead when I worked out. “The coach emphasizes running, but I wasn’t very good at it. As I lost a lot of weight, I tried to keep up with his running, and my trainer brothers watched over me from behind. My body became as good as it was before I was injured,” he said.
“I thought it was the last time. Honestly, it’s a super team, and if I don’t get a chance in the offseason, I won’t get a chance for a couple years, and then it could be the end of my career, so I decided to go for it.”
The hard work paid off, even if it was only for a short time.
“I was nervous when I played my first game in the D-League, where there were fewer spectators. I’m proud that (my hard work paid off) and that the people who supported me saw it and liked it. I’m going to try harder,” he said. “We have a lot of players who can score goals. I’m going to try to fight under the basket and play hard defense so that my brother Lee Seung-hyun can rest a little bit, and I’m going to try to get rebounds,” he said, explaining his role on the court.
Yeo’s younger brother, Yeo Jun-seok (Gonzaga University), will play his first game of the NCAA 2023-2024 season at 11 a.m. KST against Yale.
“I’m going to get a lot of attention because I’m playing again. If I don’t play well, I could be criticized. I hope I can have a lot of fun without any pressure.” “It’s a tough spot for anyone who goes there. It’s a big experience to be able to play there. I hope he doesn’t get injured and has a good season,” and cheered for Yeo Jun-seok.
The season has just begun.
“It’s natural to want to follow all 54 games and gain experience,” said Yeo. With Choi Jun-yong and Song Kyo-chang coming in, I expect my playing time to decrease. I’ll try to fill in the gaps until they arrive.” “I hope I can become a player who can play. I want to be a player who can play, not just be on the roster, but improve as I play, and be a player who is needed to keep playing. I don’t want there to be any holes in the defense or rotation.”
Yeo played 13:35 minutes against LG, recording six points, one rebound and one assist.