From the left, Hana Bank manager Lee Sang-beom and KB Stars manager Kim Wan-soo. Provided by WKBL
“It’s not polite…I’m more angry because I was embarrassed” (Hana Bank Director Lee Sang-beom)
“There is a difference in goal difference… I hope you don’t feel too disappointed” (KB Stars coach Kim Wan-soo)
The match between Hana Bank and KB Stars in the BNK Financial 2025-2026 Women’s Professional Basketball Regular League was held at the Bucheon Gymnasium in Gyeonggi-do on the 25th. The match between the two top teams ended with KB defeating Hana Bank 87-75.
However, controversy arose due to comments made by the two teams’ head coaches after the game.
Hana Bank manager Lee Sang-beom vented his anger towards KB manager Kim Wan-soo. In a public appearance, he expressed his emotions towards the opposing team’s commander, saying, “It’s not polite.” Director Lee Sang-beom raised his voice, saying, “This is rude. (KB) applied for the challenge with 14 seconds left,” and added, “This is the first time I’ve seen such disrespect. I don’t understand.”
The scene in question occurred just before the end of the game. KB was already ahead by 12 points, but the ball left the court. The referee declared Hana Bank to attack. However, the KB bench requested a video review, and the referee overturned the original decision and gave KB the right to attack. KB did not attack after that. There were no additional goals. The game ended just like that.
Regarding this, director Lee Sang-beom claimed, “I applied for a challenge, but I didn’t even try to attack.” He said emphatically, “It’s courtesy of the bench. If we had scored, we would have understood it was because of goal difference (and we didn’t), but I’m more angry because we were embarrassed.”
KB Director Kim Wan-soo directs the operation. Provided by WKBL
But KB also had his own reasons. Coach Kim Wan-soo explained, “Our team is in second place. We also have to consider the difference in goal difference,” and “We used a challenge to minimize the number of goals conceded.” He said, “After the game, I explained it to Hana Bank coach Jeong Seon-min,” and added, “I hope you don’t feel too disappointed.”
The opinions of many basketball fans are also divided regarding this. In the world of professional sports where the outcome is at stake, there is not only a debate about whether it is right to consider ‘etiquette’, but there is also a view that KB should have done its best to score if it had the right to attack.
KBSN commentator Kim Eun-hye predicted in a phone call with CBS Nocut News on the 26th, “It may not have happened simply because of this one game. (Previous games) may have also had an impact.” He then added, “The feelings may not have been good for each other.”
This is because in the previous match, the two teams had a fierce battle both on and off the court. At the end of the fourth quarter of the game between the two teams held at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong Province on December 28th last year. There was an incident where KB Park Ji-su expressed dissatisfaction with the decision while competing for the ball with Hana Bank Jinan.
KB Stars Park Ji-soo protests against the referee. Provided by WKBL
Park Ji-su strongly protested that the referee did not call Jinan’s foul. Even his teammates were so excited that they had to stop Park Ji-soo. In the end, Hana Bank won the game 81-72. Coach Kim Wan-soo made a remark after the game that day, saying, “I don’t know the standards for referee decisions.”
Commissioner Kim summarized, “There are aspects of understanding between both teams.” From Hana Bank’s perspective, he predicted, “We recorded consecutive losses. The game gap also decreased. Before the season, most people expected KB to win, but Hana Bank came out on top. So, there must have been a feeling that they had to beat KB.”
There is also a background that forces KB to react sensitively to differences in gains and losses. KB recorded 12 wins and 18 losses in the regular league last year and advanced to the playoffs (PO) in 4th place. At this time, our score was tied with Shinhan Bank, which was in 5th place, but we were able to advance to PO with a 1 point difference in gains and losses. The difference of ‘one point gained or lost’ was clearly felt in the previous season. Commissioner Kim interpreted, “The average goal-loss margin in 4 games is 4.25 points. If that aspect is considered a variable, it can be a reason.”
Provided by WKBL
It is expected that the battle for first place between Hana Bank and KB will be fierce until the end. Commissioner Kim said, “KB is inferior in the current rankings,” but added, “They showed their will to focus as much as possible and defeat their opponents by as many points as possible.” With today’s game, Hana Bank recorded 13 wins and 5 losses, but suffered two consecutive losses. KB recorded two consecutive wins and started chasing with 11 wins and 7 losses.
