The upward trajectory of Seoul Samsung, long considered the perennial cellar-dweller of professional basketball, is turning heads.

Samsung extended its winning streak to five games from the start of the season by defeating Wonju DB Promy in an away match during the 2026-2027 KCC Professional Basketball regular season held at the Wonju DB Promy Arena today (October 17).

After claiming their first opening-game victory in four seasons against Suwon KT on October 4, Samsung went on to defeat Anyang JungKwanJang, Goyang Sono, and Changwon LG in succession.

Samsung's four-game opening winning streak was its first in 23 seasons since the 2003-2004 season.

On top of that, they even toppled DB, whom head coaches from every team picked as the top championship favorite during the pre-season media day event.

Excluding DB, seven out of the nine opposing team managers evaluated DB as this season's championship favorite.

Not a single coach picked Samsung.

Understandably so, Samsung had remained at the bottom of the regular league for five consecutive seasons from the 2021-2022 season through last season.

During this period, they managed only 69 wins and 201 losses out of 270 games, recording a meager win rate of 25.6%.

There was no notable reinforcement of player strength during the offseason either.

National team center Lee Won-seok and guard Park Seung-jae enlisted in Sangmu, resulting in a net loss in squad depth.

Additionally, ace guard Lee Dae-sung is currently undergoing rehabilitation for an injury.

A setback also occurred in building the foreign player roster, a task often described as "80 percent of a season's farming."

Newly recruited foreign player Derrick Williams expressed his intent to move to the Greek league, leading to the termination of his contract in August, and Chris McCullough was brought in instead.

Nevertheless, the transformation in Samsung is largely credited to the settling-in of "teamwork basketball" under head coach Kim Sang-sik, who took the helm in July.

Coach Kim, who led Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation (now JungKwanJang) to an integrated championship in the 2022-2023 season, took office at Samsung in mid-July and has rallied the team over a span of about two and a half months.

To make up for the gap in player caliber, he emphasized teamwork and fighting spirit, and the players are displaying a level of "fighting spirit" on the court that is vastly different from previous years.

Defense is the area that has changed the most in Samsung's basketball.

Samsung conceded an average of 83.3 points per game last season (ranking 9th), but has allowed only 78.6 points (ranking 3rd) in their first 5 games this season.

Rebounding has also improved.

Rebounds have increased from 33.3 per game last season (ranking 8th) to 38.6 this season (ranking 2nd).

Resilience has grown stronger.

The old tendency to collapse helplessly in the 4th quarter is nowhere to be found.

Samsung started the 4th quarter trailing 57-68 against Sono on October 11, yet mounted a comeback victory to win 82-81.

In their match against LG on October 15 as well, they overturned a double-digit point deficit to win 93-86.

It was a victory that snapped a 9-game losing streak against LG.

Foreign player Kerem Kanter is taking on the role of the clutch solver.

Kanter sank a game-winning 3-pointer with 6 seconds left in the game against Sono, and recorded a personal-best 42 points along with 14 rebounds against LG.

Domestic players are also contributing evenly.

Veteran guard Lee Kwan-hee poured in 19 points against DB.

He swept up 12 points in the 3rd quarter, which served as the turning point of the match.

Sophomore Lee Kyu-tae scored 18 points—including three 3-pointers—against JungKwanJang and 16 points against Sono, while Han Ho-bin, Hwang Young-chan, and Lee Geun-hwi are also pulling their weight during crucial moments.

However, the season has only just begun.

Concerns remain over physical fatigue due to heavy playing time for key players.

Samsung will host the "star-studded" Busan KCC at their home court, Jamsil Student Gymnasium, on October 21.

A victory there would tie the club record for the most consecutive opening wins with 6.

(Photo provided by KBL, Yonhap News)