[KBL 미디어데이] “It’s positive, but it must be consistent” The biggest topic of the 2024-2025 season: A look at hard calls | Sports Donga

Starting with the ‘2024-2025 KCC Professional Basketball’, which opens on the 19th, a ‘hard call’, which is a lenient judgment on physical fights, will be applied. It is also a good opportunity for players to improve their international competitiveness by overcoming strong physical competition according to the judging standards of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

However, since physical combat is an area where the referee’s subjectivity is involved, and since it is being introduced for the first time in a new season, establishing proper standards is that important. Managers from 10 teams who attended the opening media day and fan fest of the ‘2024-2025 KCC Professional Basketball’ held at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 15th also shared their thoughts on the hard call. When Ulsan Hyundai Mobis coach Cho Dong-hyun said, “Basketball is a sport that requires physical competition, and it is time for change,” and added, “Accurate judging standards are needed,” the coaches of the remaining nine teams also expressed their opinions. The key was ‘consistency’.

Physical fights are inevitable in basketball. As a result, the purpose of introducing hard calls was mostly positive. Korea Gas Corporation manager Kang Hyuk said, “Isn’t this for an uninterrupted game? “It will be fun,” said Suwon KT coach Song Young-jin. “It will be a good attempt if we make the right call while being cautious of injuries.” Anyang Jeonggwanjang coach Kim Sang-sik added, “It is right to follow the flow of FIBA,” and Wonju DB coach Kim Joo-seong added, “It is positive as long as consistent decisions are made.”

However, we should not overlook the fact that inconsistent decisions may result in more frequent interruptions in the flow of the game. There are loud voices calling for putting our heads together so that a hard call can be established quickly, even if it means experiencing the pain of breaking an egg. Seoul Samsung coach Kim Hyo-beom and Goyang Sono coach Kim Seung-gi emphasized that “consistency and fairness are important,” and Busan KCC coach Jeon Chang-jin said, “It is important that the same call is made fairly. “There are aspects of it that make me anxious because it hasn’t been put in order yet,” he said. Seoul SK coach Jeon Hee-cheol pointed out, “First of all, it is important for the players to adapt.”

Heo Hoon (KT), who was the only player among the players to express his opinion, also said, “Basketball is only fun if you hit hard and fight hard,” but added, “The current standard is strange. Isn’t a hard call, such as a deep hand movement, considered a hard call? “Consistency is important,” he said.

Reporter Kang San [email protected] See more of this reporter’s articles