Foreign players, the main scorer of professional basketball, are acting as variables in this season. They are leaving the league one by one, struggling with slumps and injuries. With the season in full swing, changing foreign players is a huge burden on the team. Not only does it affect scores but also the team's atmosphere outside of the game. However, it is hard to find foreign players who are "long-running."
Five foreign players have been replaced since the opening of this season. Suwon KT was the first team that brought up the replacement card. Jeremiah Tillman, who lacked destructive power under the basket, was replaced by Jordan Morgan, the 204 centimeter-tall center, last month. As soon as Morgan came to Korea, he was diagnosed with a hamstring injury for eight weeks, before leaving the team. KT has replaced Ismael Romero, a former member of the Puerto Rican national team. Anyang's Jeonggwanjang hired Cliff Alexander, an experienced KBL player, as a substitute for Michael Young on the previous day.
Some players have been replaced due to injuries, although they have performed well in the team. Kofi Coburn, a one-option foreign player who showed the league's top scoring ability for Seoul Samsung, briefly left the lineup due to an ankle injury. Vincent Edwards, who came in as a substitute on the 11th, is filling the gap. Alan Williams, who wore a Goyang Sono uniform this season, averaged 17.4 points and 12.5 rebounds, but his chronic injury worsened and he ended up leaving the team. Sono signed a new contract with Alpha Cava, a former member of the French youth national team.
The Seoul SK Wyverns is a representative team that demonstrates the importance of stable foreign players. He has been accompanied by Jamil Warney, who came to the KBL for the first time in 2019, for six seasons. Warney has perfectly adapted to the league by winning three-time MVP award. Warney has contributed to various games by increasing the proportion of defense and assistants this season. Even Warney, who has been called the "King of the KBL," announced his retirement this season, expressing his difficulties from living abroad for a long time.
Busan KCC is holding out for the season with ace Dionte Burton and 40-year-old veteran Leon Williams. Burton scored more than 40 points, but his ups and downs are so great that he only scored single-digit points on days when he was not in good condition. Rather than using his fellow players, he was criticized for making excessive shots to complete the scoring alone. Williams, the "KBL Goin-Mul," who was urgently recruited just before the opening, is becoming an unexpected and solid option. Williams played 40 minutes full time against SK on the 10th and scored 21 points. 먹튀검증
Two cards for replacing foreign players are given to each team. Teams that have already replaced players should maintain their current level of performance and continue the rest of the season. Players who have just entered KBL courts have not been able to show remarkable performance. How fast new foreign players adapt to teams and leagues can improve their performance going forward.