After the second game, coach Ahn Jun-ho was spotted talking to the opponent's star Rui Hachimura. The South Korean men's basketball team returned home on the morning of the 8th after 1 win and 1 loss in the warm-up match against the Japanese national team held at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on the 5th and 7th.
In the exhibition match, Japan invited South Korea to its home ground to host the opening ceremony ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Japanese team must have wanted to elevate the mood of the Olympics by sacrificing South Korea, which is objectively inferior in power.
When I opened the lid, however, the outcome was different. Korea, led by young players, won the first round 85-84 based on high energy levels and lost the second round 80-88, but Ha Yoon-ki, Lee Woo-suk, Oh Jae-hyun, Yoo Ki-sang, and Moon Jung-hyun played their part.
Regardless of the outcome of the game, there was an eye-catching scene. After the second game, Ahn Jun-ho was seen having conversations with Japanese NBA leaguer Rui Hachimura (LA Lakers). It is common to have conversations among players, but it is not easy to see a scene where the head coach has conversations with players of the opposing team after a game.
In response, coach Ahn Jun-ho said, "I asked about my physical condition. I was worried and curious as to whether I was in a bad condition or not as I should improve my physical condition ahead of the Paris Olympics. Isn't Hachimura the mainstay of the Los Angeles Lakers? I heard that he is not in a bad condition. That's why I told him to do his best at the Olympics."
Korea cannot participate in this year's Olympics, but the more successful Japan plays in the Olympics, the more interest Korean fans will have in basketball. Coach Ahn Jun-ho also agreed on this point.
"That's true. I think the more Japan shows good performances and the better the NBA's slugger and NBA leaguer Rui Hachimura shows, the more helpful it will be for the development of Korean basketball," Ahn said. "I hope Lee Hyun-joong and Yeo Jun-seok, who are currently challenging in the U.S., can also follow in Hachimura's footsteps." 바카라사이트
The Korean men's basketball team led by head coach Ahn Jun-ho completed its return to Korea safely on Tuesday, and the players returned to their respective teams. Coach Ahn said, "I will take a break and continue my research while watching basketball from other countries when the Olympics begin."