NBA에 가장 가까운 한국인, '커리 후배' 이현중... 국가대표로도 선발
A number of South Korean athletes crossed over and had successful careers in the MLB.
But breaking into NBA has always seemed like an illusive goal so far.
One young man, already turning heads in the U.S. at the college level seems set to change that notion and make a big splash.
Han Seong-woo gets us better acquainted with the shooting star.
For some, basketball's three point shot is a desperate attempt at a buzzer-beater.
For Lee Hyun-jung, it's a shot he simply doesn't miss.
That's a result of hours in the gym, shooting threes until he can barely raise his arms.
"Depends on my condition, but probably 700 to a thousand... I'm trying to be that guy who works on the unseen hours like Kobe Bryant. Taking like a thousand or two thousand, three thousand."
In 22 games played during his sophomore season in NCAA Division 1 basketball, Lee scored 44.2 percent of shots he took from three-point range.
He also averaged 50.8 percent in field goal percentage and 90 percent from the free throw line.
Had he played a few more games, that would have been good enough to become the eleventh member of the NCAA's exclusive 50-40-90 club.
His marksmanship has landed him on the South Korean national team and insiders are wondering when the 20 year-old will enter the NBA draft.
"It depends on what the NBA scouts or the team says. If I'm good enough to go out after my junior year, I will go. If not, I'm just gonna stay another year. We'll see."
Mock drafts currently have Lee as a potential second round pick, a view shared by former Portland Trailblazer and Korea's first ever NBA player Ha Seung-jin.
"Lee's still a sophomore so I'm aware his draft predictions are low at the moment. But in a few years, I expect them to rise. Even if things don't work out, I think he's at least a future second round pick."
Rooting for him is not only his mother, 1984 Olympic basketball silver medalist Sung Jung-a, but also NBA superstar Stephen Curry, a fellow Davidson Wildcat who once gave him some tips on Zoom.
"One thing he said was, 'Just enjoy it.' As I said, if you have haters, let them motivate you. Don't feel the pressure and just enjoy it. That's what he said."
Lee Hyun-jung's hoop dream starts with playing in the NBA, but it doesn't end there.
The end goal is to inspire other Korean athletes to aim high, just like him.
"We got a lot of stereotypes that Asians can't play in the NBA. You know what I'm saying?... I just want to say if you're Asian and you can't jump high or something. Work on the other stuff. Ball-handling like Jeremy Lin or shooting like me? I don't know."
Han Seong-woo, Arirang News.
#SouthKorea #NBA #basketball
