“I kept my promise to win.”
Busan KCC won 76-68 in Game 5 of the 2025-26 LG Electronics Professional Basketball Championship match against Goyang Sono at Sono Arena in Goyang on the 13th.
“Super Team” KCC started sixth in the regular league and eventually won against DB, Jeong Kwan-jang, and Sonora, a powerful opponent. They won their seventh championship since their inception, the most ever with Hyundai Mobis.
사진 확대 Director Lee Sang-min has also become the main character of the new history. He became the first KBL player, coach, and manager to win the championship. Photo = Courtesy of KBL
Director Lee Sang-min has also become the main character of the new history. He became the first KBL player, coach, and manager to win the championship.
It was never an easy road. However, Lee Sang-min did it. Some doubted his leadership. Nevertheless, I finally did it. Winning the championship.
The following is a question-and-answer session with KCC manager Lee Sang-min.
How do you feel about winning.
If the chairman didn’t bring me here, I couldn’t win as a coach, as a coach. I appreciate your efforts to be here. It’s all thanks to deep interest. So I felt more pressure and tried to win more. Once again, I would like to say thank you.
Our players worked really hard from the semi-finals to the semifinals to the championship game. The main players also played for more than 35 minutes. (Huh)Hoon became the final MVP, but all five of them are MVP to me. This achievement was achieved because the players with strong personality put themselves down and played their part. Thank you so much to our players.
The late honorary chairman Jung Sang-young in the sky and his father left a message to win. I’m so happy and happy that I seem to have kept that promise.
He won the championship as a player, coach, and coach at KCC (including Hyundai).
To be honest, the current victory as a coach is so meaningful and big than when he was a player. It’s so nice. Rather than preparing for the championship game as a player, the difference in weight was tremendously different in preparing as a coach. When I was a player, I was the only one who was good, but I’m not a coach. I had to see the whole thing. I couldn’t sleep well and was very nervous. (Choi) Jun-yong even joked that he was getting nervous (laughs).
사진 확대 Coach Lee Sang-min said, “Honestly, the current victory as a coach is so meaningful and big than when he was a player. It’s so nice. Rather than preparing for the championship game as a player, the difference in weight was tremendously different in preparing as a coach. When I was a player, I was the only one who was good, but I’m not a coach. I had to see the whole thing. I couldn’t sleep well and was very nervous. (Choi) Jun-yong even joked that he was getting nervous (laughs).” Photo = Courtesy of KBL
When was the hardest moment.
The beginning of this season was the hardest. In fact, (Jang) Jae-seok, (Choi) Jin-kwang, (Yoon) Ki-chan, (Kim) Dong-hyun, (William) Navarro on the bench. With these players, I could come to the playoffs. If these players didn’t do their part, they couldn’t be here now. The players held out, so they could finish sixth and eventually become champions.
How was Sono.
In fact, it was unexpected because I thought LG would come up. Rather, it was relatively convenient to prepare. However, I thought I should push hard from the first game because of Sono’s rise that started in the fifth round. It is actually not easy to win all four games in the championship game. I didn’t even think it would happen. I thought it would be hard if it went long, so I wanted to finish it today. The players also played with that mind, so they were able to finish it.
The moment I felt I won the championship.
It was hard for me and the players every game. But in the first game against the 6th round DB, the ‘Super Team’ lineup gathered properly and played the game, and they did so well. So I thought it would work out if I prepare a little more.
[Goyang (Gyeonggi) = MK Sports Reporter]