Park Shin -ja (84), a legend of Korean women’s basketball, visited Korea again for the 10th anniversary of Park Shin -ja Cup, named after him. I saw it unfortunate, but I also checked the bright future.
Park visited Road Island to Busan to see the 2025 BNK Financial Park Shinja Cup held at the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium in Busan from August 30 to September 7. Busan is also the hometown of BNK, a nephew Park Jung -eun (48) and is also an ointment of his team.
Nearly 60 years have passed since the retirement of his career in 1967, but the popularity of Park, a basketball legend, remained. At the Sajik Gymnasium, there were many fans who asked Park to take a commemorative photo or sign. That’s the icon of Korean basketball.
Park was dedicated to the Korean Sports Hero Fame held by the Korean Sports Association in 2015, with the runner -up and the MVP of the World Championships (current Women’s Basketball World Cup) in 1967, and in 2021, he was selected as the members of the 2020 FIBA Fame. WKBL has been holding Park Shin -ja Cup since 2015 for the achievements of Mrs. Park Shin -ja.
Park, who had an interview with Star News on the last day of the tournament, expressed his regret for Korean basketball, which is being pushed by Japan. At the same time, he mentioned the bright future shown to young players and smiled. I was able to see my passion for basketball.
The following is a question and answer with Mrs. Park Shin -ja.
-How did you feel about seeing the competition until the last day?
▶ Japan has a lot of basketball. It was very different from the 1960s when I was a player. Previously, the game was organized and played as a leader, but now it is flexible and diverse and good. The two teams of Japan played in the finals, but the Korean team should have been stuck. But I thought these players were good enough to go up. If Korean players go to Japan next time, coaches will have to study a lot.
-Ms. Park was an edge against Japan when he was a player.
▶ I think it was pretty good. The physical condition was good. I was quite tall (176cm). Basketball should be tall, but now it seems to go to volleyball. It is likely that the association should do more research so that people are interested in basketball.
-The Korean teams couldn’t get to the finals, but to say that it was okay.
▶ I haven’t seen a lot of games, but one or two players are good at fighting. Coaches seem to have trained well, and more players should come out. Guards can’t see only small people. It’s a pity that the guards are so small that they can only take one step fake, so that the view is narrowed.
– He said he was crying after watching the youth competition held before the competition.
▶ The heart that was impressed is unchanged. WKBL (Shin Sang -hoon) and Busan city officials have a meal and shares the Word. I thought it would be good if it would be as planned. I was happy to come to sign up for young players. Wouldn’t it be interested. It’s the same as what you want to have a home run person.
-I hear a lot of words of the legend of basketball.
▶ It is an honor. In fact, I thought, ‘You’ve become a legend.’ After 70 years of basketball at the age of 13, 70 years have passed, so I decided to accept it because it was a legend (laughs).
-The first day of the tournament (August 30), I advised BNK players on the first day of the tournament.
▶ Centers are often back. But don’t just see a player who wants to pass. You need to identify other players with the side of the side. I have to cling to me as if I’m going to shoot. Everybody made it simple. You need to practice more than 70 ~ 80% of your jump shots in your location.
* Nephew Park Jung -eun said, “Since my aunt was a player, the same position players would have been more noticeable.”
-Park Sung -jin, who received advice, said, “I will practice what you have grew up by practicing what you said.”
▶ Did you talk about it? Then it is very hopeful. I’m really happy to say. I don’t know when it will be next time, but I want to keep doing it.
-I was impressed with the advice to the players that basketball was deceived.
▶ The most interesting thing about basketball is to deceive it. It’s so deceived by the court, so you don’t have to deceive it elsewhere (laughs). There is an anecdote that has not told people much. Mental dilemma came when I was 20-21 years old after joining the commercial bank (now Woori Bank). The more fake I did, the more everyone liked and had a lot of articles. So he went to Bishop Kim Sung -soo (first president of the Korean House of Representatives) and said, “People are good if they are deceived, and they seem wrong.” Then, “I’m a believer, I’m tricked. There are five fouls in basketball. I almost gave up basketball and always thanked Kim.
-The first day of the tournament, I was surprised to see Busan’s appearance.
▶ I first came to evacuation during the Korean War in 1950, and I came to Haeundae in the late 1960s with my friends. It is not modern when the city landscape is 9 years old. Even if I lived in Bukchon, I had a house that I thought of before, but it was completely different. The sea scenery is good and the air is good and better than Seoul.
-This time, I visited Busan and went to the mausoleum of the late Yoon Deok -ju teacher in Tongyeong.
▶ Sookmyung Girls’ High School 20 years senior. Considering that you have helped the Korean team a lot, our basketballs are forced to thank Him. I came here and I went because I thought I should go. On the first day, I only gave me a basket, but when I thought about it, he liked drinking. But I didn’t think I didn’t give a glass of medicine, so I went to drink the next day. I thought of you, and I thought of Park Shin -ja Cup or our nephew (Park) Jung Eun.
* Yun Deok -ju (1921-2005) is a mother -in -law of Korean women’s basketball and has been named in the FIBA Fame Hall. The basketballers who remember the time looked back on ‘a lot of affection for the players.’
-The 10th anniversary of Park Shin -ji Cup is the 10th anniversary this year.
▶ It was honored and good, of course, as well as in the first tournament, but I didn’t think it would develop more than 10 years. This time, I came to Busan and thanked the BNK Financial Group officials and the sports staff in Busan. Again, while eating with youth players, he grabbed a girl and said, “Five or 10 years later, not the Park Shinja Cup, but a basketball competition with your name.” I was so happy.
