Kim Hee-Sun, I`ll Play As Support Power for Samsung

With the last season ahead, Kim Hee-Sun (28) of the Samsung Thunders said that he played much harder in order to avoid the judgment that he fell behind after being discharged from military service. His hard work resulted in the team`s victory.

Kim Hee-Sun would become a lot more busier for his team`s 2nd consecutive championship this season. Kim could not leave the training camp even for a moment, because of the burden that he had to make up for the absence of the last year`s sixth man winner and hidden contributor of team`s victory, Kang Hyuk, who entered the army, all by himself. Kim not only scored 20 points per game, but also led the team`s spirit, which may have been down otherwise, in the training camp in the United States with a fighting spirit last August. In spite of the absence of Kang Hyuk, the Samsung coaching staffs are confident of the power of the second unit because they trust in Kim Hee-Sun.

The coaching staffs` trust in Kim Hee-Sun paid off, keeping the team`s victory with fourth quarter march of three three-point shots to shake off the opponent team`s chase-up in the game with the SK Bigs on 13th. Kim recorded 5.8 points per game with an average playing time of 15.4 minutes in the last 6 games. This outstanding record of in the season is not comparable to last season`s record of 3.5 point playing 11.26 minutes per game.

Kim has originally played as a forward. But now he has to take up any position as one of second unit. He has, as it were, to be an all-around player. As an all-around player, no one would be comparable to Kim Hee-Sun in terms of ability and experience. His experience as point guard helped him to play as defender and shooter, and make up for the absence of Moon Kyung-Eun, who entered the army in 1997.

hyangsan@donga.com