This is a common scene in teams where young players are also changing generations and teams with thick players.
Cho Sang-hyun, head coach of the Changwon LG Twins, is well aware of this. “I think that I have not deteriorated in skills and that I can play better than my juniors, but if I don’t spend it, I will have complaints. That’s what happens to most veteran players. I was like that when I was a player,” Cho said.
LG Twins, led by coach Cho Sang-hyun, has strong players. Ahead of the 2023-2024 regular season of professional basketball in Jeonggwanjang, LG Twins was forced to change the playing time of its existing players as it recruited Yang Hong-seok from the FA market and Yoo Ki-sang from the rookie draft.
Veteran Lee Kwan-hee (36), Jeong Hee-jae (35) and Lim Dong-seop (35) saw their playing time decrease and roles reduced. Lee Kwan-hee averaged 24 minutes and 41 seconds last season, but has been running 20 minutes and 24 seconds this season. Chung’s time is 16 minutes and 57 seconds, down by about one minute from 17 minutes and 48 seconds. As Yang became more adaptable to the team, the number of times he could not play even 10 minutes increased in November. Lim, who moved from Samsung during the last season, played an average of 11 minutes and 25 seconds, but has been playing an average of 4 minutes and 52 seconds this season. Only one game has played more than 10 minutes.
“The seniors’ complaints are so obvious,” Cho Sang-hyun said. “Thankfully, the seniors in our team are not like that. My coaches must feel sorry for me. The same goes for Yoon Won-sang, who played a lot last season, although he is not a senior. All athletes want time to play. However, they do not make it obvious on the surface. It is not easy to say things easily. They know how their attitudes affect their juniors. Thanks to them, they can maintain a good atmosphere without paying attention to the seniors. I am so grateful.”
“Every player wants time to play. There were times when I expressed my frustration. I even asked coaches for time to play. As a veteran, I couldn’t be the only one thinking about myself. While sticking to my role, I came to think about my juniors and the atmosphere of the team. (Yang) Hong-seok reduced my playing time, but Hong-seok, who has more roles than me, has to do well to make the team do well. I also hear his grievances while talking to Hong-seok. Even if I don’t play, I’m still trying to find ways to help the team. I’m sure it’s the same for Kwan-hee and Dong-seop.”스포츠토토 사이트 추천