Last year and this year, the best foreign player in professional basketball is one. Jamil Warney (28, 1m99cm) of Seoul SK is continuing his scoring streak for the second year in a row using his unique floater.

Warney recorded a double-double with 32 points and 12 rebounds while playing full-time for 40 minutes in an away match against Anyang KGC in the 2022-23 professional basketball regular season held at Anyang Gymnasium on the 18th. On this day, SK, which had a close match until the end of the game, won 82-81 thanks to Warney’s performance.

Warney is considered one of the best foreign players in the league. After joining SK in the 2019-20 season, he won the Foreign Player MVP (Most Valuable Player) in 2 out of 3 seasons. There were also ups and downs. His mother and best friend passed away due to Corona 19 in the last 2020-21 season, which was the second year. His shaky mentality increased his weight and his performance decreased. However, after taking over as manager Jeon Hee-chul, he took full control of his mind and returned as the best scorer in the league. Last year, he led the league with an average of 22.1 points, and this season he is also leading with 23.1 points.

Warnie’s main weapon is a plotter. He lifts the ball with his overhand and drops it in a parabolic arc. Unlike a normal shot, he rises slowly and enters the rim. He is usually used by many guard position players who are not tall.

In Korean professional basketball, it is difficult for the opponent to block and the hit rate is high. Opponent foreign players even felt a sense of collapse at the slow-moving floater while marking SK ace Warney.

Actually, Warney answered humbly about the use of plotters. Warney said, “I practiced plotters a lot after graduating from college. (In the US league) there are many players bigger than me, so I learned it,” he said. “It is not as difficult a skill as I thought. My wife did it at the gym a few days ago. Some players enjoy dunking, and each player is different. It’s fun for me to use the plotter.”

Even after winning the combined championship last year, SK recorded an absolute inferiority against KGC in the regular league with 1 win and 5 losses. It’s the opposite this season. While SK stays in the mid-table, KGC is running for first place.

The atmosphere of the match the day before was also different. Unlike KGC’s defeat of Suwon KT 89-77, SK suffered a crushing defeat to Goyang Carrot 84-106. It was a ‘record’ game that allowed 21 three-point shots, which is tied for third place in professional basketball history. Coach Jeon Hee-cheol also said before the game, “I was watching yesterday’s 21 3-point shots on the court, so how absurd our players must be. The players were in a daze (in shock) until this morning,” he said, “I couldn’t sleep either. 21 3-pointers went in.”

Warney’s power was great in the match. Not only did he score on his own, but he also managed to check his opponent’s ace, Omari Spellman. Spellman, who has a powerful play and even a shot, is considered a foreign player comparable to Warney. The one-on-one match between the two players on this day ended with Warney’s victory. Warney persistently succeeded in hooking and fading away shots from under the goal against Spellman, who played mainly on the outside, and also kept the team under the goal. Spellman, who was pushed back in the matchup, scored 14 points that day, and the field goal success rate was 17. 스포츠토토

After the game, Warney said, “It was regrettable that the flow was twisted and collapsed after doing well in the game yesterday. Today, the players kept their concentration well to avoid that,” he said. “I always want to spend a lot of time on the court. Both the coach (a foreigner with 2 options) and Leon Williams understand that well. I think it’s because they know how strong my competitive spirit is.”

Regarding the matchup with Spellman, Warney said, “Spellman and I have a mutual respect. KGC is the #1 team and Spellman is a member of it. We know each other well because we played matchups often. I tried to stop him from doing well.” “There are things that Spellman can’t stop even if he knows about it, but he tried to block it as much as possible. Spellman would have done the same,” said

Warney. It is worth looking forward to the third foreign player MVP after this season. He said, “I haven’t mentioned the award yet. I think it’s early. Right now, my priority is to contribute to victory by just working hard. My ultimate goal is to improve day by day. If I pay attention to that part, good things will come.”