South Korea swept three gold medals across men’s, women’s, and men’s 3×3 basketball at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, capping the tournament with a 67-57 victory over Japan in the men’s final on Sept. 20, joongang.co.kr reported. The performance sparked widespread domestic enthusiasm, filling Korea Basketball League (KBL) arenas when the regular season opened on Oct. 3.
How KBA Handled Coaching Decisions and Committee Autonomy
The Korea Basketball Association (KBA) delegated authority for coaching selections entirely to its Game Competency Improvement Committee, led by former championship-winning coaches Yoo Jae-hak and Wi Sung-woo, joongang.co.kr reported. KBA Executive Vice President Jung Jae-yong stated that the association never intervened in candidate selection, limiting its role to final approval of the committee’s choices.
For the men’s national team, the committee appointed Nikolajs Mazurs from Latvia as the program’s first foreign head coach. Early struggles prompted public criticism and heavy internal pressure, but persistent communication among players, coaches, and committee members resolved tactical and role-related disputes.
Veteran Leadership and Discipline Shape the Men’s Roster
Roster management required established veterans to accept reduced playing time and support younger standouts. Veterans Jang Jae-seok, Lee Seung-hyun, Choi Jun-yong, and Byun Jun-hyung handled defensive duties and off-ball tasks, a dynamic Jung compared to the “gudgeon role” from the basketball manga Slam Dunk, with Lee Hyun-jung serving as the team’s undisputed core. In this process, veterans Jang Jae-seok (35), Lee Seung-hyun (34), Choi Jun-yong (32), and Byun Jun-hyung (30) played significant roles.
Despite injuries to key contributors including Song Kyo-chang, Ha Yoon-gi, and Ahn Young-jun—as well as in-tournament injuries to Yeo Jun-seok and Yoo Ki-sang—the squad operated without a naturalized player. When logistical issues arose on the day of the final, including unallocated team buses and restricted practice access, association staff managed external communication while keeping the players focused on the court.
Women’s Program Overcomes Absence of Star Players
The women’s national team claimed a 75-70 victory over Japan in the final on Sept. 26 under head coach Park Su-ho, joongang.co.kr reported. The squad competed without 198-centimeter center Park Ji-su and 183-centimeter guard Park Ji-hyun, leaving one roster spot open until late in the tournament in anticipation of Park Ji-su’s recovery.
Faced with towering opponents such as China’s 226-centimeter center Zhang Ziyu, the team adopted a fast-paced offense designed to generate perimeter scoring opportunities. Jung noted that many of the younger players, including Lee Hae-ran and Park So-hee, represented a generation that developed without physical punishment or corporal training methods in youth athletics. During rest periods, when asked by coaching staff Have you ever been hit while training?
newcomers like Lee Hae-ran and Park So-hee answered No, not even once,
according to the sources.
Building a Project for the 3×3 Gold Medal
The men’s 3×3 team gold medal resulted from a two-year developmental initiative overseen by head coach Bae Gil-tae, joongang.co.kr reported. Moving away from last-minute tournament selections, the KBA organized regular domestic events like the “Olpark Tour” and evaluated university prospects through rigorous training camps.
The group gained international exposure through the Nations League and World Cup competitions before securing the Asian Games title.
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