Court Diva Shin Hye-in Returns as Sportscaster

As she stepped onto the basketball court, her first reaction was to take off her high heels.

It was an involuntary reflex action due to her years of hitting the floor as a player. Her former teammates greeted her warmly and she looked cheerier than ever.

Shin Hye-in (22) was the center of attention for many basketball fans, as she was touted as the prettiest player ever to shoot hoops in Korea. Upon retirement, she made a cameo appearance as a sportscaster for an online broadcast during the WKBL match between Samsung and Shinsegae that took place at Yongin on November 7. She plans to continue making as many appearances as she can when she has no classes to attend.

She said, “Watching my old teammates and other players in action before my eyes gets my heart pounding with excitement. I know I can do a good job as a commentator with a player’s perspective.”

Media attention has become second nature for Shin, as she was born the daughter of two sports stars, Shin Chi-yong, manager of Samsung Insurance volleyball team, and Jeon Mi-ae, former member of Korean Women’s National Volleyball Team. Shin was picked 4th during the 2004 draft by Shinsegae. However, she was forced to retire due to a heart ailment, after two seasons in 2005.

Shin began her freshman year at Seoul Women’s University as a physical education major this spring, but she did not leave the basketball scene entirely. Kim Won-gil, the commissioner of the WKBL, noticed her frequent visits to WKBL matches and offered her a chance to work as a commentator. Shin still plays basketball regularly with amateur teams during her spare time.

At 6’1” she had a chance to become a dominant center in Korea, but more often than not, she was overpowered and overshadowed by powerful foreign centers playing in the league. Shin said, “With the league changing its regulations and not signing foreign players, Korean centers are getting more opportunities to display their skills and to mature as players. The games are more fun now.”

kjs0123@donga.com