Key Points
- Hyunjung Lee, 23, is the first South Korean basketball player to compete in the NBL.
- He first came to Australia as a member of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra.
- His club, Illawarra Hawks, are holding events to promote Lunar New Year and Korean culture.
Illawarra Hawks climbed to fourth in the National Basketball League with an 89-76 win over Brisbane Bullets in Wollongong on 3 February.
The action on the court was complemented by festivities around the stadium to mark Lunar New Year, which falls on 10 February.
"I'm grateful to the team for preparing events to promote Korean culture before the match," the team’s South Korean import, Hyunjung Lee, told SBS Korean.
"I was very encouraged by many Korean fans coming to the Illawarra to support me."
Hyunjung Lee signed with Illawarra Hawks ahead of the NBL24 season. Credit: SBS Korean
"I've been supporting Lee for a long time. I watched most of his games when he played college basketball with the Davidson Wildcats in USA. Now I'm so happy to be able to watch him in person in Australia," Cho said.
Local fan Ashley said that Lee, who is the first South Korean basketball player to appear in the NBL, “brings so much excitement to the community and the crowd everywhere”.
From left to right: Kyemoon Cho, Ashley and Pam. Credit: SBS Korean
'Acknowledge the community’
Before the match, musicians in bright attire played Korean traditional instrumental music in front of the stadium, while booths showcased Korean hanbok (dress), calligraphy and play culture in the lobby.
In addition, K-pop dance performances were held during breaks in the game.
Stu Taggart, CEO of Illawarra Hawks, said the club saw Lunar New Year as an opportunity to reach out to the community.
"It was fantastic to see kids and families come out," he said.
"We want to acknowledge the Korean community, besides the support we have for Hyunjung Lee. We see it every week and want to welcome the Korean community to any of our home games or games across Australia.”
From left to right: Stu Taggart, CEO of Illawarra Hawks, and Jihee Kim, director of the Korean Cultural Centre Australia. Credit: SBS Korean
"Seeing Hyunjung Lee play, I believe many Koreans living in Australia and abroad will be proud. I believe Hyunjung Lee can gain strength from the events, too."
Wollongong resident Pam was among those enjoying various Korean cultural games before the match.
"I'm not very good at it, but we're having a lot of fun just before the game starts. I love the Korean culture,” she said.
Australian connection
Lee’s basketball journey has taken him across continents.
During three seasons with Davidson Wildcats, he made a name as one of the best shooters in US college basketball. He also had stints with Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G-League and Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023 NBA Summer League.
He signed for Illawarra Hawks last July ahead of the NBL24 season, hoping to learn from the "fast pace" of the sport in Australia.
"The Australian basketball style is very tough. The physicality is so intense that sometimes I feel like I am playing rugby when I meet a rough opponent," Lee said.
Illawarra Hawks win 89-76 over the Brisbane Bullets in Wollongong on 3 February Credit: SBS Korean
"While playing basketball in Korea, I thought I was the best prospect until middle school," Lee said.
"But I went to the U-17 Basketball World Cup, we lost by more than 50 points to the USA, and I realised I wasn’t anything compared to world-class players."
After that, Lee said he thought it would be beneficial to play basketball abroad.
He was invited to an NBA Asia Pacific team camp in China, and later, he became a member of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra.
“I chose this path without hesitation because I wanted to develop further as a basketball player," he said.
Lee, who came to Canberra in his second year of high school, said he had difficulties communicating in English for the first three months.
"It was a tough time for me, but I think I gained my mental strength."
"Even though I couldn't understand what they were talking about, I listened to the English interviews of other players every day. When alone, I studied English words and watched Netflix movies I couldn't understand daily."
Lee played alongside several of his current teammates during his time in Canberra.
Taggart said the connections helped Lee settle in easily with the squad.
"He'd been involved with some of our players at the Australian Institute of Sport and the NBA Centre of Excellence in Canberra in 2018 and 2019. So, he knew three of our players, and he'd come highly recommended from those players,” he said.
“It's fantastic to have him as part of our team and our squad, and we're very grateful for that."
A family affair
Lee comes from a strong basketball background.
His mother, Seong Jeong-a, led the South Korean silver medal-winning team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Lee's father, Lee Yun-Hwan, played semi-professionally during the same period and has been a leading high school coach since retiring in 1991.
"I'm so happy that my parents were able to evaluate my game as players themselves. My father always told me 'don't get too carried away just because you played well, and don't get down just because you didn't play well'."
"My parents told me that I have to stay humble. Although I have a big dream as a basketball player, I want to focus on the present. I want to enjoy the present."
Before the match, musicians played Korean traditional instrumental music in front of the stadium. Credit: SBS Korean
"If anyone is celebrating alone in Australia, I would like to relieve their loneliness through my play. Please come and watch, I will try my best.”
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