South Korea men's national basketball team explained

Country:Korea Republic
Coach:Choo Il-seung
Joined Fiba:1947
Fiba Zone:FIBA Asia
National Fed:KBA
Oly Appearances:6
Oly Medals:None
Wc Appearances:8
Wc Medals:None
Zone Championship:FIBA Asia Cup
Zone Appearances:29
Zone Medals: Gold: (1969, 1997)
Silver: (1967, 1973, 1977, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003)
Bronze: (1963, 1965, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1993, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017)
Zone Championship2:Asian Games
Zone Appearances2:18
Zone Medals2: Gold: (1970, 1982, 2002, 2014)
Silver: (1974, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2010)
Bronze: (1962, 1966, 1990, 2018)
H Title:Home
H Pattern B:_thinredsides
H Body:FFFFFF
H Pattern S:_darkbluesides_2
H Shorts:FFFFFF
A Title:Away
A Pattern B:_thinredsides
A Body:00153b
A Pattern S:_darkbluesides_2
A Shorts:00153b
First Game: 27–29
(London, England; 30 July 1948)
Largest Win: 36–163
(Bangkok, Thailand; 20 November 1975)
Largest Loss: 146–67
(Villa Ballester, Argentina; 8 August 1990)

The South Korea men's national basketball team represents South Korea in international basketball competitions. They are administered by the Korea Basketball Association.

Based on the number of overall medals won, South Korea is a major force among the national teams of FIBA Asia. At the FIBA Asia Cup, they have won a record 25 medals in the competition. Furthermore, South Korea is the only nation that has qualified for every edition of the event since it was first held in 1960.[1] While on the global level, South Korea has qualified for the FIBA World Cup eight times throughout their history.

History

Initiation (1947–1951)

In 1947, two years after the establishment of the People's Republic of Korea, the Korea Basketball Association joined the International Federation of Basketball (FIBA) and sent its national teams to FIBA-sponsored events. Only one year later, the team already celebrated its first major accomplishment at the 1948 Summer Olympics, when it finished 8th, better than any other Asian nation, and ahead of teams such as Canada, Argentina, and Italy.

Steady improvements (1952–1968)

At the 1954 Asian Games, for the first time ever, South Korea finished in the Final Four of a major international basketball tournament in Asia. The team slowly improved its position within Asia almost every year and qualified for the Basketball World Cup several times.

Golden years (1969–1970)

In 1969 and 1970, the team enjoyed a brief period to shine, when it won the 1969 Asian Championship[2] and the 1970 Asian Games and ultimately qualified for the 1970 FIBA World Championship. As the only Asian team that had remained in the championship, South Korea finished ahead of Australia (champion of FIBA Oceania) and Egypt (champion of FIBA Africa) and showed its best performance ever at this event. Korea's Shin Dong-Pa dominated all scorers at the 1970 FIBA World Cup as he averaged 32.6 points per game, almost 13 points more than the runner up, Davis Peralta, from Panama.

Asian elite position behind China (1971–2007)

At the Asian Championship, South Korea stayed among the top three teams at 21 straight events, a record that is still unmatched until today.

At the 1996 Olympics, Hyun Joo-Yup averaged 16.6 points through the entire tournament.[3]

At the 2005 FIBA Asia Championship, South Korea's medal-winning streak finally ended when they lost to Qatar at the 3rd place game . Between 1975 and 2005, South Korea was the only nation besides the Philippines that was able to seriously challenge China's dominance. It interrupted China's championship winning streak in 1997, when it defeated its dominant neighbor in the semifinals and ultimately won the crown as 1997 Champion of Asia.

At the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, South Korea was able to go on a streak, and won the first 5 games. Because of the "four centers" Ha Seung-jin (221 cm), Kim Joo-sung (205 cm), Lee Dong-jun (202 cm), and Kim Min-soo (200 cm), South Korea had the tournament's highest 2-point field goal percentage (61%). South Korea was also a team that had a strong back court with Kim Seung-hyun (179 cm), Yang Dong-geun (182 cm), Kim Dong-woo (198 cm), and Choi Jin-soo (205 cm), who guaranteed that the team was in the tournaments top-3 in free throw percentage (70.6) and assists per game (11.5).[4] All these players helped their team to win the bronze medal once again.

Emergence of West Asian competition (2008–2018)

In the modern era, South Korea's competition from West Asia intensified as countries such as Jordan, Qatar, Lebanon, and especially Iran improved their basketball programs. South Korea is still considered one of Asia's major teams but its position among the top three teams in Asia is not guaranteed anymore. In 2014, the team qualified for the Basketball World Cup for the first time in almost 20 years. Even though the team was eliminated in the first round, the qualification itself was a success and provided much needed global exposure.[5] Most of the players that played at the 2014 World Cup returned for the 2014 Asian Games where they helped secure the gold medal on home soil.

Former Jeonju KCC Egis manager Hur Jae took over as the national team coach in 2016. They reached the play-offs of the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup and won the bronze medal.[6] At the 2018 Asian Games, South Korea was unable to defend their tournament gold medal due to the loss of key players to injuries.[7] The public outcry, coupled by accusations that Hur had showed favoritism by selecting both his sons into the national team, prompted Hur to resign in September.[8] Hur's former assistant Kim Sang-shik took over as the new coach.[9]

2019 FIBA World Cup and generational change (2019–present)

Under Kim Sang-shik, the South Korean team secured their place at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Kim also began introducing younger players into the squad on a more regular basis.[10] [11] However, Kim decided on a more experienced squad, with half the players selected aged 30 and above and Heo Hoon being the youngest player at 24. South Korea struggled with injury problems to key players during the tournament but ended their losing streak at the World Cup. They recorded their first win at the World Cup in 25 years by winning their last game of the tournament, an 80-71 win over the Ivory Coast.[12] [13]

More signs of a "generational change" were visible as Kim called-up a squad composed only of players born in the 1990's for a 2022 FIBA Asia Cup qualifier against Indonesia.[14] However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted much of 2020 as the closing of international borders and government-mandated quarantine regulations discouraged KBL teams from releasing valuable players to the national team, prompting a conflict between the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and the Korean Basketball Association (KBA).[15] [16] Kim resigned in late January 2021, citing his frustration over being caught in between the KBL and KBA and the failure of all parties to come to a resolution.[17] [18] Cho Sang-hyun took over in September 2021 and is expected to remain in charge until the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[19]

In preparation of South Korea's participation in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers, a two-week break from the regular season was scheduled in February 2022 for the national team call-ups. The Korean Basketball League was hit by the coronavirus as early as December 2021, with Changwon LG Sakers reporting their first case within the team.[20] At the end of January 2022, KBL even made their first-ever match postponement due to the coronavirus, as multiple positive cases were reported in Seoul Samsung Thunders.[21] Although stringent testing requirements and quarantine rules were implemented by KBL, it failed to lower the number of infections in the league. In February 2022, a massive outbreak occurred as many teams reported positive cases among their players and staff within a span of two weeks.[22] [23] [24] [25] Some teams could not field their main players as they were infected. Even so, KBL carried on with the scheduled matches as long as the participating teams could fill up the roster. Some players eventually took to social media to express their frustration publicly over the forced commencement of the league and lack of concern towards the wellbeing of the players.[26] On the next day, KBL announced a suspension of the season for two weeks by postponing all remaining matches scheduled in February to a later date.[27] The national basketball team took a major hit as most of the players on the preliminary roster submitted to FIBA at an earlier date, were infected by the coronavirus.[28] Despite Cho's efforts of putting together a new roster, a player from the renewed roster was tested positive right before they depart to the Philippines on February 22. As a result, South Korea pulled out of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers and was eventually disqualified.[29] [30] South Korea did try to appeal that decision, but it was rejected by FIBA.[31] Hence, South Korea's appearance in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics is unclear as of now.

On April 29, 2022, Cho was announced as the new head coach of Changwon LG Sakers, and terminated his contract as the national team's head coach.[32] After an open recruitment of a new head coach by the Korean Basketball Association, Choo Il-seung, previously a head coach for Goyang Orion Orions was chosen to lead the men's national basketball team effective May 19, 2022.[33]

Competitive record

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics
YearPosition
1936Did not enter
19488th place835
1952Did not qualify
195614th place716
1960Did not qualify
196416th place909
196814th place927
1972Did not qualify
1976
1980
1984
19889th place725
1992Did not qualify
199612th place707
2000Did not qualify
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024Withdrew
Total6/2047839

FIBA World Cup

FIBA Basketball World Cup
YearPosition
1950Did not enter
1954Did not qualify
1959
1963
1967
197011th place844
1974Did not qualify
197813th place716
1982Did not qualify
198622nd place505
199015th place817
199413th place835
199816th place505
2002Did not qualify
2006
2010
201423rd place505
201926th place514
2023Did not qualify
2027To be determined
Total8/19511041

Asian Games

Asian Games
YearPosition
1951Did not enter
1954Fourth place 6 2 4
1958Fourth place 8 4 4
1962Third place 8 6 2
1966Third place 7 6 1
1970Champions 8 7 1
1974Runners-up 7 4 3
1978Runners-up 9 8 1
1982Champions 9 9 0
1986Runners-up 7 6 1
1990Third place 7 5 2
1994Runners-up 6 5 1
1998Runners-up 7 6 1
2002Champions 7 7 0
20065th place 8 5 3
2010Runners-up 8 6 2
2014Champions 7 7 0
2018Third place 6 5 1
20227th place 7 4 3
Total18/1913210230

FIBA Asia Cup

See main article: FIBA Asia Cup.

width=125Yearwidth=120Positionwidth=35width=35width=35
19604th place936
19633rd place1073
19653rd place963
1967Runners-up981
1969Champions880
19713rd place862
1973Runners-up1091
19753rd place862
1977Runners-up871
19793rd place752
1981Runners-up761
19833rd place752
1985Runners-up651
1987Runners-up871
1989Runners-up871
1991Runners-up981
19933rd place651
1995Runners-up862
1997Champions871
1999Runners-up862
20013rd place871
2003Runners-up871
20054th place853
20073rd place862
20097th place963
20113rd place972
20133rd place972
20156th place954
20173rd place752
20226th place431
2025To be determined
Total30/3024018555

East Asian Games

East Asian Games
YearPosition
1993Runners-up---
1997Runners-up---
2001Runners-up---
2005Runners-up---
2009Champions---
2013Third place---
2017Runners-up---
Total7/7---

East Asia Basketball Championship

East Asia Basketball Championship
YearPosition
2009Champions440
2011Champions431
Champions550
2017Runners-up422
Total4/417143

FIBA Asia Challenge

FIBA Asia Challenge
YearPosition
2004Runners-up532
2008Did not enter
2010
2012
2014
2016Runners-up862
Total2/61394

William Jones Cup

William Jones Cup
width=20Yearwidth=20Rankwidth=10Pldwidth=10Wwidth=10L
1977
1978Runners-up
1979Not held
1980
1981
19825th place
1983
1984
19856th place
1986Runners-up
1987
1988Third place
1989Not held
1990
1991Third place
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998Third place
1999Champions
2000Runners-up651
2001Runners-up761
2002
2003Not held
2004
2005
2006
2007
20087th place927
20095th place853
2010Did not enter
2011Runners-up972
20125th place853
2013Third place752
2014Did not enter
20155th place844
2016Runners-up862
2017Third place963
2018Third place862
2019Runners-up871
Total?/37???

Team

Current roster

Tournament: 2022 FIBA Asia Cup (July 12, 2022 – July 24, 2022)[34]

Past rosters

1970 World Championship: finished 11th among 13 teams

Shin Dong-pa, Lee In-pyo, Kim In-kun, Kim Young-il, Park Han, Choi Jong-kyu, Yoo Hee-hyung, Lee Byung-koo, Yoo Jung-kun, Lee Ja-young, Shin Hyun-soo, Kwak Hyun-chae (Coach: Kim Young-ki)

1978 World Championship: finished 13th among 14 teams

Kim In-Jin, Kim Pyung-Man, Jung Young-Soo, Jang Bong-Hak, Park Sang-Ung, Park Soo-Kyo, Kim Sang-Chun, Kim Hyung-Nyun, Kim Dong-Kwang, Koo Jong-Hoo, Lee Mun-Kyu, Choi Bu-Young (Coach: Kim Moo-Hyung)

1986 World Championship: finished 22nd among 24 teams

Hur Jae, Park In-kyu, Lee Min-hyun, Cho Yoon-ho, Han Ki-bum, Lee Mun-kyu, Kim Hyun-jun, Kim You-taek, Kim Sung-wook, Lee Won-woo, Lee Chung-hee, Goh Myong-hwa (Coach: Kim In-kun)

Head coaches

Kit

Manufacturer

Sponsor

See also

External links

Videos

Notes and References

  1. http://www.fibaasia.net/Competition_Archives.aspx?id=2
  2. Web site: 대한뉴스 제 755호-국위를 세계에 떨치고 . YouTube.
  3. News: Yao, Hamed, and Patty shined as stars from Asia & Oceania at the Olympics. 4 August 2021 . . 21 July 2021.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20070826185600/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/07/fibaAsia/men/stat/p/openNodeIDs/5608/selNodeID/5608/fe_stat_teamLead.html 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, Tokushima, Japan
  5. Web site: Korea Republic at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. fiba.basketball. 4 September 2014.
  6. Web site: Korea Republic at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup. fiba.basketball. 20 August 2017.
  7. News: 김종규 부상 여파, 농구 아시안게임 불발…김준일로 교체. The Chosun Ilbo. 10 July 2018. ko.
  8. News: '아들 선발 논란·금메달 실패' 허재 감독 사퇴. The Hankyoreh. 5 September 2018. ko.
  9. News: 남자농구 대표팀 허재 감독 사퇴…김상식 코치가 대행. SBS. 5 September 2018. ko.
  10. News: 남자농구대표팀 세대교체...송교창, 양홍석, 안영준 합류. JoongAng Ilbo. 31 January 2019. ko.
  11. News: 국가대표 영 포워드 3인방, 대표팀의 미래를 밝히다. The Dong-a Ilbo. 25 February 2019. ko.
  12. News: 남자농구, 코트디부아르 80:71 격파...25년만의 월드컵 승리. The Chosun Ilbo. 8 September 2019. ko.
  13. News: '16점 활약' 허훈 "강호들과 대결에서 많이 배웠다". Yonhap News Agency. 8 September 2019. ko.
  14. News: '90년생이 온다'…농구 국가대표 세대교체 모습은?. Yonhap News Agency. 18 February 2020. ko.
  15. News: 코로나가 빚은 농구 대표팀 구성 잡음. Hankook Ilbo. 24 January 2021. ko.
  16. News: 대한농구협회와 KBL, 대표선수 차출 후 후속 대책 마련에 고심. The Dong-a Ilbo. 7 February 2021. ko.
  17. News: '비난→사퇴 예고' 男 농구대표팀 명단 후폭풍, 감정 싸움만 남았다. The Chosun Ilbo. 24 January 2021. ko.
  18. News: 선수 차출 갈등에… 김상식 男농구대표팀 감독 사임. The Dong-a Ilbo. 25 January 2021. ko.
  19. Web site: 김 . 동찬 . 2021-05-06 . 남자농구 국가대표 사령탑에 조상현 전 대표팀 코치 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  20. Web site: ‘초비상’ LG, 코로나19 확진자 발생 . 2022-06-23 . sports.news.naver.com . ko.
  21. Web site: 2022-01-25 . 코로나 확산세에 KBL도 직격탄... 25일 LG-삼성전 연기 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  22. Web site: 최 . 송아 . 2022-02-10 . 프로농구 SK·KCC·KGC 코로나19 확진자 발생…경기는 예정대로 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  23. Web site: ‘선수 2명 코로나19 확진’ KT, 11일 현대모비스전 진행 . 2022-06-23 . sports.news.naver.com . ko.
  24. Web site: 최 . 송아 . 2022-02-12 . 프로농구 DB도 코로나 확진자 발생…오늘 오리온전은 정상 진행 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  25. Web site: KGC 5명, KCC와 KT 각 1명씩 코로나19 확진 판정 . 2022-06-23 . sports.news.naver.com . ko.
  26. Web site: 최 . 송아 . 2022-02-15 . 코로나 확진 속출하는데 리그 강행…프로농구 선수들 불만 표출(종합) . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  27. Web site: 최 . 송아 . 2022-02-16 . 코로나 확산 속 강행하던 프로농구 결국 중단…조기 휴식기 돌입 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  28. Web site: 2022-02-16 . [단독] 男농구 국가대표 초비상! A 선수 코로나19 확진…신속항원검사 양성 반응도 다수 ]. 2022-06-23 . ROOKIE . ko.
  29. Web site: 2022-02-22 . '농구 월드컵 예선 불참' 조상현 대표팀 감독 "오늘도 확진자 나와…선수 건강 우선" . 2022-06-23 . SBS NEWS . ko.
  30. Web site: FIBA disqualifying South Korea from WCQ . 2022-06-23 . www.dugout.ph.
  31. Web site: Li . Matthew . 2022-02-28 . REPORT: FIBA rejects Korea's appeal . 2022-06-23 . Tiebreaker Times . en-US.
  32. Web site: 2022-04-29 . LG, 조상현 신임 감독 선임... 조성원 감독은 사의 표명 . 2022-06-23 . ROOKIE . ko.
  33. Web site: 김 . 동찬 . 2022-05-19 . 남자농구 국가대표 사령탑에 추일승 전 오리온 감독 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  34. Web site: FIBA Asia Cup 2022 . 2022-06-23 . FIBA.basketball . en.
  35. Web site: 김 . 동찬 . 2022-05-19 . 남자농구 국가대표 사령탑에 추일승 전 오리온 감독 . 2022-06-23 . . ko.
  36. https://www.fiba.basketball/asia/challenge/2016/Korea Korea - FIBA Asia Challenge 2016
  37. Web site: Korea at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 . 2022-06-23 . FIBA.basketball . en.