Currently, it has been somewhat stagnant due to other issues, but not long ago, the discussion about the Asian Games 3X3 basketball participation of the core resource of the adult national team was a hot potato among fans. The reason why 3×3 basketball is getting more and more internationally interested is that 3×3 national team coach Kang Yang-hyun said, “We need to get a good result,” and basketball podcasts also say that discussion is necessary. is big
To put it in more detail, the core is Lee Hyeon-joong and Yeo Jun-seok. Next-generation stars such as Lee Woo-seok and Lee Won-seok are also being discussed, but most attention is focused on whether Lee Hyun-joong (22‧202cm) and Yeo Jun-seok (20‧203cm), who are challenging the NBA, will participate. This is because if Lee Hyun-joong and Yeo Jun-seok win a gold medal in the Asian Games, they can receive military exemption and gain wings in the NBA challenge.
Lee Dong-jun (43‧200cm), a former KBL leaguer who is currently playing as a 3×3 basketball player, said, “As everyone knows, I am not in a position to argue about the military exemption. However, in terms of skills alone, if Lee Hyun-joong and Yeo Jun-seok-level players participate, the power of the 3X3 national team will surely become stronger and the possibility of winning a gold medal is not small.”
The problem is the before and after. If you participate simply because you like 3×3 basketball, you can say that it is an area of choice, but the reality is different. In order to participate in the Asian Games with 3X3 basketball, it is possible to give up the adult national team during the period. In addition, to do so means that a significant part of the possibility of winning a gold medal was taken into account.
Apparently, the most sensitive military issue is at stake for Korean men, so opinions are divided among fans. From the opinion that joining the 3X3 basketball team as one of the possible ways rather than committing illegal acts should be seen as a choice, there are also quite a few objections that if you participate simply to solve military problems, it does not match the fairness with active 3X3 basketball players who have been steadily playing in the past. .
Of course, it is not that professional players have never participated in 3X3 before. At the time of the 2018 Jakarta Palembang Asian Games, there is a case where Kim Nak-hyun, Park In-tae, Ahn Young-jun, and Yang Hong-seok, who were professional players in 3X3 basketball, participated. In the final, they were defeated by China and unfortunately ended up with a silver medal, but they proved that they were good enough to fight for the summit.스포츠토토
Of course, the reason why the participation of professional players at the time was far from controversial was because they won the 3-3 basketball Asian Games selection competition by forming a team after receiving applications from players under the age of 23 who wish to participate. Moreover, they were not selected for the national team. On the other hand, Lee Hyun-joong and Yeo Jun-seok are also included in the core resources of the adult national team. It is completely different from the basic position. This is a reason enough to cause controversy, ‘Aren’t they aiming for the gold medal too openly?’
Basketball blogger Yoon Soon-yong (43, Gyeonggi-do) said, “In a situation where it is possible to just give up 5×5 and go to 3×3, it is only natural that there are pros and cons. Basketball fans are like that, but what about general fans who aren’t very interested in basketball? It is likely to be controversial in many ways. Regardless of the reason, there will be a lot of dissenting opinions as the sensitive issue of military affairs is at stake, but as a basketball fan, I agree with Lee Hyun-joong and Yeo Jun-seok to participate.”
In addition, “I want to ask people who have a negative view. Anyway, as the same basketball event, we are aiming for a medal in the Asian Games, but I wonder if only 5X5 basketball is important… , It’s the same medal anyway. In addition, there is an age limit for 3X3 basketball, so if you miss the opportunity, you will not be able to go even if you want to go later. If players with enough talent to compete in the adult national team can compete in 3X3 without any problems with the age limit, I think it is right for the best player at that age to participate and aim for a medal.”
Lastly, he said, “Athletes who have already gone abroad or who have a high possibility of going abroad, not only in basketball but also in other sports, are experiencing various difficulties due to military service. If young players with enough skills to play an active part in the national team go out to 3X3 and produce good results and get exemption from military service, it will definitely be of great help to the success and development of basketball. Not just their individual success, but the generations to come as well. If the path is opened in a possible area, the possibility of a second Lee Hyun-joong appearing will increase even more.”
Of course, participating in 3×3 basketball does not guarantee a gold medal unconditionally. The future is unknown. In 3X3, which seemed highly probable, bad results came out and the adult national team, which was expected to be difficult, could win the gold medal. Still, 3X3 has more variables than 5X5, so it is even more difficult to predict. This is why it is necessary to see it as a choice even if Lee Hyun-joong and Yeo Jun-seok, who are currently inactive, express their intention to participate in 3X3 basketball in the future.
Regarding this, an official from the Korea Basketball Association said, “I should have done it earlier to move, but I think it is a little late. The players mentioned have not yet submitted opinions or reacted to the participation. The fact that the debate about something that has not happened yet is interpreted as a lot of interest in the players concerned. In any case, there is no big problem administratively if they strongly want it. However, since the adult national team is also at stake, I think there should be in-depth discussions within the association.”