Content Writer vs VA: Rookie’s Winning Strategy

Suwon KT’s guard Kang Seong-wook (21), who was selected 8th in this year’s draft, is shaking up professional basketball just one month after his debut.

The match against Goyang Sono on the 16th was 85-85. 1.4 seconds before the end, Kang Seong-wook made the final free throw with an exquisite alley-oop pass. Ha Yoon-ki received the ball and successfully made a free throw due to a foul. Surprisingly, the plan was planned by rookie Kang Seong-wook. KT coach Moon Kyeong-eun said, “During the operation time, Seong-wook said we had to do it this way, so I thought I should give it a try to gain experience no matter the result, so I said, ‘Okay, give it a try.’ And it was successful.”

The debut match on the 19th of last month was also strong. He performed a spin move twice in a row, beating his opponent by rotating his body 180 degrees like a spinning top. Kang Seong-wook was selected as a Distinguished Player three times in the eight games he played. Average playing time (20 minutes), points (8.1 points), and assists (3.6) are all first among 26 rookies. He is excellent at scoring and dribbling, but above all, he has guts. I was told that my vision wasn’t very wide, but last year my eyes opened up. He makes creative passes all over the court.

Kang Seong-wook is playing an active role as the team’s main ball handler, filling the absence of starting guard Kim Seon-hyung’s injury. Moon Yoo-hyun (Cheong Kwan-jang), the first pick in the draft who has not yet played in the game due to injury, jokes, “Seong-wook has become world class.”

Suwon KT’s Kang Seong-wook stands out the most among this year’s 26 professional basketball rookies. He is called ‘Lucky Boy’ because he plays with jersey number 77. Reporter Kim Jong-ho

Kang Seong-wook was selected 8th in the rookie draft, lower than the expected 5th. “On the contrary, it was stimulating and my passion ignited even more,” he said. Fans call him ‘Lucky Boy’ in reference to his uniform number 77. Kang Seong-wook said, “I chose 77 because it is a lucky number and Luka Doncic’s number.” In the 2018 NBA Draft, Doncic was selected 3rd overall by the Atlanta Hawks and then traded for Trae Young, who was selected 5th overall. Doncic, who suffered the humiliation of being pushed to the bottom of the list as soon as he became a pro, has now become the league’s top star.

Kang Seong-wook’s other nickname is ‘Wizard II’. His father is Kang Dong-hee (59), the first-year professional basketball MVP, who was called the ‘Wizard of the Court.’ Like his father, Kang Seong-wook makes instant passes with a quick dribble. Originally, he had a ‘cobra shooting form’ where he shot from below his chin like his father, but recently he raised his shot release point above his head.

Fans say, “You can’t ignore genes.” Coach Moon said, “I resemble my father’s passing sense, guts, and control of strength and weakness.” Seongwook Kang’s thoughts are different. “It’s not my father’s DNA, it’s my effort. People around me say I was born with it, but when I was in elementary school, I practiced from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.”

Suwon KT’s Kang Seong-wook stands out the most among this year’s 26 professional basketball rookies. He is called ‘Lucky Boy’ because he plays with jersey number 77. Reporter Kim Jong-ho

Kang Dong-hee was expelled for being involved in match-fixing while he was coach of Wonju DB in 2013. Afterwards, he became an anti-corruption instructor. Kang Dong-hee tried to stop his son from playing basketball out of fear that he would get hurt, but Kang Seong-wook cried and said, “Why is Dad blocking my dream?” Kang Seong-wook said, “I shouldn’t be shaken just because my father did something like that. Instead of ‘Kang Dong-hee’s son, Kang Seong-wook,’ I will be called ‘Kang Seong-wook’s father, Kang Dong-hee.'” It appears that he is determined to become a player who surpasses his father and use his skills to remove the label hidden by his father’s name.

Heo Jae, who was called the ‘Heo Dong-taek Trio’ with Kang Dong-hee and Kim Yu-taek during the KIA era, took Kang Seong-wook to a fishing spot when he was in middle school and encouraged him, saying, “Work hard and become a professional athlete.” On the 21st, Kang Seong-wook faced off against ‘Heo Jae’s son’ Heo Hoon (30, Busan KCC). Although the team lost, Kang Seong-wook (10 points, 5 assists) was ahead of Heo Hoon (4 points, 9 assists) in personal records. Kang Seong-wook said, “I learned from the fact that top guard Hoon broke down against his older brother.” Kang Seong-wook was not at all intimidated. The rookie’s No. 1 record proves it.