A College Basketball Star Is Born

He just leaped up and jumped slightly up on his heels, dunking and hanging onto the rim. He stretched out to his full height, and his fingers touched the 270cm rim.

His name is Kim Yong-oh (18).

Kim is graduating Daegyeong Jeongsan High School and he is 208cm high. He is taller than Seo Jang-hun (207cm), the tallest player in the Korean Basketball League.

Kyunghee University head coach Choi Boo-young says, “Notwithstanding the years since I coached in 1985, there has never been a player like this in Korea. Kim is the tallest player in our history.”

Eating 2 Ramyeons Before Bed–

Most of the time, tall players are too heavy to be speedy. And Kim Yong-oh now has the anguish of having to gain more weight. When he started working out in Suwon Kyunghee University, he was merely 88kg; now he has reached 94kg. Head coach Choi ordered him to reach 115kg.

Kim says, “I go to sleep after eating two ramyeons and four servings of bread, with protein supplements, even if I’ve exercised that night.”

Argentinean Korean Kim Min-su (205cm) is joining the Korean pro league next year, which is why coach Choi anticipates more of Kim.

Usually, tall players start basketball late, but Kim has great court awareness because he has been playing basketball starting when he was in fourth grade at Dongsan Elementary School. He was 172cm tall then.

In his high school days, he scored 15 points per game on average and grabbed 20 rebounds a game. He has the spirit of never wanting to lose.

High Sprits–

In order to adapt to the fierce, physical college basketball game, Kim is concentrating on acquiring strength. He has also been concentrating on rehabbing his knee, which he hurt in high school, and strengthening his musculature.

“It feels as though I am learning basketball all over again with these seniors. I want to strengthen myself and enhance my offensive capabilities.”

His Korean university basketball league debut will take place in April next year, during the MBC Competition.

Kim says, “I entered the world after only eight months in my mother’s womb, because I was so curious about the outside world.” I still have a long way to go as a basketball player. I want to be the best player in college, and I will learn to be a great player like Kim Ju-seong.”

kjs0123@donga.com