Korea`s tallest basketball player regains competence

Ha Seung-jin, the tallest professional basketball player in Korea at 221 centimeters (seven feet three inches) returned to court in January after finishing military service. He reduced 15 kilograms of weight while in military and came back to play at his team KCC. Since KCC manager Hur Jae`s hope for this year is fast dribble and breakthrough, he had high expectations on Ha.

However, Ha hardly regained game sense. The tallest center was frequently shoved out from the rival center. Since he failed to position himself under the basket, he waltzed in downtown. He tried different ways but often overlapped with foreign forward players. He lost physical strength and suffered ups and downs. As he failed to display concentration from the first quarter, his team collapsed early on.

After three straight losses, KCC met Electro Land on Tuesday and put Ha to his initial position under the basket shot. In preparing for the game, coach Choo Seung-kyun gave Ha one-point lesson on under-the-basket-shot play. During the game with Electro Land, Ha tried one-to-one attack under the basket. Because his free throws got better recently, he pushed him against the rival center in order to induce a foul.

After gaining just four scores against Samsung on Sunday, Ha gained 22 scores and 13 rebounds leading his team win 70 to 61. Thanks to Ha, KCC was able to escape consecutive defeats.

Ha said, "I was highly burdened emotionally when my team was losing," adding, "Coach Choo`s lessons helped me regain confidence." Ha finally found himself again and recovered the capabilities he had before military service.

Ha said, "I have tended to evade when defended, but now can engage more actively under the basket."