“I’m the youngest. I have to play more than my older brothers. That’s my role.”

Kim Jun-il (202 cm, C) made his debut in the 2014-2015 season. He averaged 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in his rookie season. However, he didn’t show much growth after that. In the 2021-2022 season, he switched teams from Samsung to LG in Changwon.

However, in his first game with LG, he ruptured his Achilles tendon and was out for the season. He returned for the 2022-2023 season. He didn’t get many chances at the beginning of the season, but as time went on, he got more.

LG had an unusual rotation last season. They used a variety of players in two different rotations, with Jun-il leading the second unit alongside Dante Cunningham (203cm, F). This meant that his playing time was somewhat limited, but he was able to showcase his value. He averaged 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 15 minutes per game.

Looking back, Kim says, “I played as a sixth man for LG. It’s an experience I may never have again. I felt so many things during the process. I played a lot of different positions and experienced a lot of different things. Sometimes I would come in short and change the game. Then sometimes I came off the bench and played the rest of the game. So I learnt a lot about how and when to come in and what to do, and I’m very grateful for that,” he reflected on last season토토사이트.

“Then I got a lot of offensive opportunities off the bench. Coach Cho calls for a lot of quick attacks after a strong defence, so I played a lot. Then, if it was blocked, I was the main offensive player between the second units. There were many cases where I scored from the freerolls, and I found my technique and confidence.”

Having proven his health and fitness, Kim became a free agent this off-season, and he chose the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis. The team already had two established big men in Ham Ji-hoon (198cm, F) and Jang Jae-seok (204cm, C).

When I mentioned this, he said, “People around me were worried about the fact that the Hyundai Mobis already had big men. In fact, when I was younger, I was greedy for playing time. But when I played like that last season, I realised that playing time is not the only thing that matters. Of course, I haven’t completely abandoned playing time. (Laughs) However, I have a better understanding of basketball thanks to my various experiences at LG. I am now confident that I can quickly change the atmosphere in any situation I enter.”

He continued, “I may play for Hyundai Mobis for a short time. At LG, it was hard at first, but I can overcome it because I have experience. The important thing is that I have to play well.”

When asked to compare himself to Ham Ji-hoon and Jang Jae-seok, Kim said, “Both of my brothers are very good players. But I also have certain advantages. I’m the youngest. (Laughs) I have to play more than my brothers. I think that’s my role. I want to help the team with a lot of activity in the offence.”

Hyundai Mobis has many players born in 1999. Signing Jin (187cm, G) and Lee Woo-seok (196cm, G) are the main ones. “I’m looking forward to playing with the younger players. But I’m not thinking too much about it. (Laughs) There were a lot of young players at LG as well. However, (Seo) Myung-jin-i has definitely grown over the past season, and (Lee) Woo-seok is a player with his own talent. I didn’t do much, but I want to help them grow as much as possible, so I’m looking forward to that part a little bit.”