Cheongju KB returned to the regular league throne for the first time in two seasons after beating Busan BNK in Woori Bank's WON 2023-2024 Women's Professional Basketball regular league home game held at Cheongju Gymnasium on the 14th.
When discussing KB's regular league win this season, Park Ji-soo (25) is definitely a player who can't be left out. Although he returned in the middle of the season after leaving the team for a long time due to panic disorder last season, he was out early due to a finger injury, and failed to prevent the team from falling.
After overcoming panic disorder and injury, Park returned even stronger this season. Even manager Wi Sung-woo, head of Woori Bank in Asan, KB's rival, said, "The level is unstoppable." He swept the MVP award from round 1 to round 5, and became a "nightmare" of the opposing team, showing off his upgraded skills in attack and defense.
Park Ji-soo himself says that his performance this season is the highest since his debut.
Park Ji-soo smiled at a press conference after the BNK match, saying, "I still think I'm lacking a lot, but people around me compliment me a lot." "In fact, looking at the record aspect, I think this season is the best season. Honestly, when will I get another round MVP?" he admitted.
Guard Heo Ye-eun, who showed fantastic chemistry with Park Ji-soo this season, also puts her tongue out at Park Ji-soo's performance. Heo Ye-eun said, "In fact, when I won the 2021-2022 season, I thought, 'Wow, what's going on?' while watching Ji-soo Park's play, but it's the same this season. My sister was famous then, but now she's more famous," adding, "Now, she has a bigger share of the team than then. It's amazing to see that she wants to become a locker room leader on her own, regardless of the basketball part." She added, "My sister is leading the way, but my younger siblings can't help but follow along. My sister says she's not satisfied now, but I don't think I should either."
Park cites three types of motivation as the driving force behind his best performance this season. The first is that he feels sorry for his team. "I couldn't start with the team last season and finish the season due to my injury," Park said. "I was so disappointed that I worked hard for this season. I spent a long time in the national team, but I spent as much as I could when I was in the team. I nagged him a lot to make it faster."
Park Ji-soo also worked harder to thank the fans for picking KB as the top favorite along with his return. KB was the most promising candidate even though it ranked fifth last season in a survey ahead of the season's opening. It was entirely because of the fact that Park Ji-soo would return. Park Ji-soo said, "I was so grateful that the fans picked KB as the No. 1 winner on Media Day. Looking at it, I thought I should show something real."
Lastly, Woori Bank's overwhelming victory last season also gave impetus to its rival Woori Bank's overwhelming victory. Woori, which boosted its team's performance by recruiting Kim Dan-bi last season, won the combined title with its overwhelming performance in the regular league, playoffs and championship game. "Woori Bank was too overwhelmed last season. Watching that, something boiled over in my heart. It really motivated me," Park Ji-soo stressed. 토토사이트 순위