Kim Joo-sung won a championship as a player and then as a coach.
DB won 107-103 against Suwon KT in the sixth round of the 2023-2024 Korean Basketball League at Wonju General Gymnasium on Thursday.
DB, which won its seventh straight game, improved to 38-10 with the victory, erasing the last magic number and lifting the regular season championship trophy.
Speaking to the media after the game, coach Kim Joo-sung said, “The players did a great job until the end. It’s a new feeling to win. I think the players led well. I’m an inexperienced coach, but I think the players were able to learn. I will always be grateful to them,” he said.
Kim Joo-sung is a one-club man and DB legend. He won the title as a player and in his debut season as a coach. “When I first came to Wonju, I never imagined that I would stay for more than 20 years. I didn’t know Wonju very well at the time, so I just thought it was a faraway place.” “Now it’s my first hometown, where I’ve lived the longest in my life. I think that’s why Wonju fans have been more supportive and encouraging,” he said, expressing his affection for Wonju.
With the win, Kim became the fifth person in history to win the title as both a player and coach. “When I was a player, I was happy to play, but it’s hard to play as a coach. I’d be thrilled to win the overall title. Both are good, but I’m happy where I am. I’m not lowering myself, but I’m happier now because the players are doing well.
He chose captain Kang Sang-jae as his favorite player. Coach Kim Joo-sung said, “Kang Sang-jae took over as captain and led the juniors well despite being in the middle of the age group. I’m very proud of him as a coach because he has the skills that he has always had, but this year he has come into full bloom.”
The turning point of the season for Kim was the KBL Cup. DB lost to KT 108-106 in the quarterfinals of the Cup.
“I thought we had prepared well,” Kim said, “but we played a very disappointing game in the Cup. On the bus back, I was very angry about what to do with the players. I was also very angry with myself. When I got back, I had four to five hours of video meetings and told the players that we would train hard. We trained for three or four days and made a turning point.”
He said that every game this season has been a crisis. “Game 54 has always been a crisis for me,” Kim said, “I’m sorry for the players, but I kept talking about it like gaslighting, and I’m grateful that they knew that and tried to overcome it.”
Dedrick Lawson was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 47 points. “I can’t say enough about him, he’s a great player. He’s a high-level player 토토 who tries to contribute with different things, even with his physical condition. He’s a quality player who tries to contribute different things in terms of his physical condition. He’s so big.”
Kang and Albano are competing for the MVP honors at home and abroad. “Albano’s stats are much better than last year, with much better play, one-on-one ability, and two-on-two shooting. He is also an excellent player on defense. He deserves it. I know that Kang Sang-jae is the No. 1 contributor in Korea. His stats cannot be surpassed,” he said, cheering for both players.
For the remaining matches, Kim Jong-kyu will be managed. Coach Kim Joo-sung said, “Kim Jong-kyu is not feeling well, so rather than not playing at all, we will adjust his time, even if it’s one or two games off. We have a lot of time left, so we can’t just take a break. We have to plan well and distribute the time of the main players.”
DB won the regular season and went straight to the best-of-four playoffs. When asked which team he would like to face, he said, “Any team is tough. “I don’t know what team will come up, but we’ll be ready for anything,” he said, adding, “We’re in a fog right now. We’re in a fog right now, so we’re going to watch the rest of the games carefully.”