Lee Hyun-jung Takes on Dirty Work: "My Shots Weren't Great, But Happy to See Teammates Shine"

South Korean basketball ace Lee Hyun-jung serves as a reliable anchor for the national team, leading both on and off the court.

Guiding his teammates with high energy throughout the match, he immediately checked the box score upon entering the press room.

He coldly dismissed his own low-scoring performance as "just an excuse," choosing instead to highlight his teammates who stepped up to ease the scoring burden on a day he struggled.

Led by Lee, the South Korean men's basketball national team secured a dominant 81-55 victory over the Philippines in a friendly match held today (the 4th) at KT Sonicboom Arena in Suwon.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Lee shared his thoughts, saying, "Naturally, I'm not happy with my individual stats, but I'm glad the other players found their rhythm. Watching them perform well gave me a lot of relief, and I was able to enjoy playing."

He continued, "On days when someone's shots aren't falling, someone else needs to step up as a solver. Today, (Lee) Jung-hyun found his rhythm, and (Moon) Yu-hyeon also showed great energy. Even the bench members played their roles when the team lacked points and needed energy, showing high energy on the defensive end."

The national team displayed stellar form in the match played six days ahead of their opening Group A match against Saudi Arabia on the 10th, which marks South Korea's first game of the men's basketball tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Although the Philippines was missing key players, South Korea established an early lead from the start of the game and maintained control until the end, operating with ease.

While it was a pleasing victory that boosted confidence ahead of the Asian Games, Lee focused more on the process than the blowout result.

He coolly assessed, "The opponent wasn't the full Philippine national team today, and there were many areas that need improvement, which leaves some regrets."

On this day, Lee took care of the dirty work by grabbing 15 rebounds, but scored only 6 points, making just 1 of 10 three-point attempts.

Despite enduring a demanding schedule—joining the national team straight away after completing the NBA Summer League schedule in pursuit of advancing to the NBA—he refused to use fatigue as an excuse for his slump.

Lee drew a firm line, stating, "Being fatigued because of the schedule is just an excuse," and emphasized, "As long as I receive good physical management from the team, I just need to keep raising my condition ahead of the Asian Games."

He added with a firm resolve, "Even on days when my shots aren't falling, I will keep shooting, and I will help the team in other areas to win somehow."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.