Second-generation national team member, Ko Hyun-ji goes to KB as the 1st overall pick in the women’s basketball draft
2nd place BNK nominates Kim Jong-un… Shinhan Bank ranked 3rd, and Heo Yu-jeong, aka ‘Korean mother’ Katie Timmerman, was ranked 2nd in the second round by Shinhan Bank.
Supia Girls’ High School forward Hyun-ji Ko (18, 182.2 cm), the daughter of former national women’s basketball player Cho Moon-joo, wore the Cheongju KB uniform as the first overall pick in the women’s professional basketball rookie draft. 온라인카지노
Ko Hyun-ji was nominated by KB as the first overall pick at the Korea Women’s Basketball League (WKBL) 2023-2024 new player selection event held at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong Province on the afternoon of the 4th.
Ko Hyun-ji’s mother is Cho Moon-ju, a former national women’s basketball team member.
Last year, when she was in her second year of high school, Ko Hyun-ji was already selected as the best player (MVP) of the high school girls’ high school basketball game in the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Weekend League, drawing attention as the biggest player in this draft.
She played for the national team at last year’s International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Under-17 (U-17) Women’s Basketball World Cup and FIBA Under-18 (U-18) Asian Women’s Basketball Championship.
Prior to the selection meeting this morning, a combine was conducted to measure the height, weight, and physical abilities of draftees. As a result, Ko Hyun-ji ranked first in wingspan (187.0 cm) and max vertical jump (73.4 cm).
The max vertical jump reach was 303.4cm, setting the WKBL’s highest ever record.
KB coach Kim Wan-soo, who took first place in the morning draft ranking drawing ceremony, called Ko Hyun-ji’s name.
Ko Hyun-ji, wearing KB’s yellow uniform, said, “I am grateful to God for giving me the honor of being number one,” and then added, “I would like to thank the KB officials and tell my parents and sister who raised me, that I am thankful and love them.”
Ko Hyun-ji, who was crying for a while, said, “It is an honor to come to KB as the first choice.
Personally, I thought I was unlucky this year, but I think I made a mistake to come to KB.”
She added, “I adapted quickly to the team and thanked my mother (former women’s basketball national team member Cho Moon).
“I will become a player who will be helpful to the team and shine on the team like Joo),” he said.
He then smiled brightly, saying, “Personally, I think yellow suits him well, and I’m glad he came from KB.”
KB coach Kim Wan-soo, who held Ko Hyun-ji in his arms, explained the reason for the nomination, saying, “I didn’t see Ko Hyun-ji for 1-2 years, but I watched her since elementary school and thought she had ample potential for growth.”
At the same time, he expected, “If I polish myself a little more, I will be able to become a player representing the country.”
Go Hyun-ji’s mother, Cho Moon-ju, joined Kookmin Bank, an industrial team at the time, in 1984 and was a starting center for the national team, participating in the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.
Her mother and daughter have continued to work at Kookmin Bank.
Busan BNK, which lost Kim Si-on to Bucheon Hana One Q and took over the first round draft pick and exercised the second pick, selected Hyosung Girls’ High School forward Kim Jeong-eun (18, 176.5 cm).
Incheon Shinhan Bank, ranked third, nominated Heo Yu-jeong (18, 173.5 cm), a guard from Bundang Management High School, who played for the national team at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) U-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup last year.
In the 4th place, Yongin Samsung Life Insurance selected Cheongju Girls’ High School forward Lee Ye-na (18, 177.5 cm), and in the 5th place, BNK, which once again exercised its nomination rights, selected Bundang Management High School forward Park Da-won (18, 179.2 cm).
Asan Woori Bank, ranked 6th, called the name of Bundang Management High School center Byeon Ha-jeong (18, 179.9 cm).
Hana One Q, which exercised its first nomination in the second round, had Sangju Girls’ High School forward Shin Tae-hee (18, 178.1 cm).
Katie Timmerman (24, 172.9 cm), who entered the draft as a foreign national player, wore Shinhan Bank’s uniform as the second pick in the second round.
Initially, it was BNK’s turn to pick the second pick in the second round, but as a result of a surprise trade between BNK and Shinhan Bank at the selection event where they exchanged the pick for guard Shim Soo-hyun (20), Shinhan Bank exercised the right to pick the second pick in the second round.
Hong Yun-ha (Tokyo Medical Insurance University), a Korean resident in Japan who applied to participate as an overseas player, voluntarily gave up participating in the selection competition.