Kim Jong-kyu (Korean: 김종규; born July 3, 1991) is a South Korean professional basketball player. He currently plays for Wonju DB Promy in the Korean Basketball League and the South Korean national team.
 Kim at the 2014 FIBA World Cup | |
| No. 15 – Wonju DB Promy | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | KBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 3, 1991 Seongnam, South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Naksaeng High School |
| College | Kyung Hee University |
| KBL draft | 2013: 1st round, 1st overall pick |
| Playing career | 2013–present |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2019 | Changwon LG Sakers |
| 2019–present | Wonju DB Promy |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Kim Jong-kyu | |
| Hangul | 김종규 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 金鐘奎 |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Jonggyu |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Chonggyu |
Early life
editKim was not initially interested in basketball until his teacher noticed that he was the tallest in his class and suggested that he take up the sport. He attended Naksaeng High School in Seongnam where he stood out for his height and athleticism.[1]
College career
editKim played college basketball at Kyung Hee University, where he was teammates with Kim Min-goo and Doo Kyung-min. The trio led Kyung Hee to back-to-back sweeps of the U-League regular season title, championship and MBC Cup in 2011 and 2012 and breaking the dominance of the traditional "big three" of college basketball (Yonsei University, Korea University and Chung-Ang University).[2][1] By the time he finished his senior year, he had double-double averages in points and rebounds, averaging 17.3 points and 11.2 rebounds in four seasons.[3][4]
Professional career
editChangwon LG Sakers (2013–2019)
editKim was the first overall pick of the 2013 KBL rookie draft and was drafted by Changwon LG Sakers.[3] Kim Min-goo was second and Doo Kyung-min was third, marking a rare occasion when the first three picks of the rookie draft were all from the same university and not from one of the "big three" college basketball programs.[5][6] He only made his KBL debut in November due to commitments with the national team. His rookie season did not begin smoothly as he drew criticism for missing easy shots but gradually found his footing and became known as a dunk shot specialist.[7] He ended the season with 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds and was voted KBL Rookie of the Year.[8]
At the end of the 2018-19 season, Kim chose not to renew his contract with Changwon LG Sakers and became a free agent. He joined Wonju DB Promy, becoming the league's highest-paid domestic player.[9]
Wonju DB Promy (2019–present)
editKim was a crucial player in DB's dominance in the 2019-20 season, forming a triumvirate with Heo Ung and Doo Kyung-min, who was discharged from military service in January. Kim Min-goo signed with DB that season in a player trade, briefly reuniting him with his former Kyung Hee University teammates. Although they ended the season at the top of the league table, the result was forfeited due to COVID-19 restrictions and the cancelation of the last few rounds. Despite the abbreviated season, he led the league in rebounds among domestic-born players. He was named into the KBL Best 5 and nominated for the Most Valuable Player award but narrowly lost to Busan KT Sonicboom guard Heo Hoon.[10][11]
Two games into the 2020-21 season, DB went on an eleven-game losing streak due to a series of injury problems ravaging key players and experienced veterans. Kim was diagnosed with chronic plantar fasciitis and was limited to 20 minutes per game to manage the pain.[12] DB finished second last in the league.
After the KBL announced its salary cap for the 2021–22 season, Kim negotiated a pay cut and is no longer the league's highest-domestic player, although he is still DB's highest paid player.[13][14] In January, he scored 25 points, including a career-high six three-pointers, in the loss against Seoul SK Knights.[15]
National team career
editKim participated in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[16] Later that year, he was called up for the 2014 Asian Games hosted at home. The team won the gold medal, the first since 2002, and Kim and other teammates who had yet to serve their mandatory military service were granted exemptions.[17]
References
edit- ^ a b "[MY FAMILY] "한 살 때부터 긴~ 종규" 김종규 어머니가 말하는 우리 아들". Jumpball (in Korean). July 12, 2017.
- ^ "두경민(체육대학 10학번) 선수, 발전기금 5,000만 원 약정 — "경희대 농구부 경험이 나를 오늘의 자리에 오르게 했다"" (in Korean). Kyung Hee University Alumni Association. August 23, 2018.
- ^ a b "LG, 신인 1순위로 경희대 김종규 지명" (in Korean). KBS. September 30, 2013.
- ^ "<프로농구> 경희대 김민구·김종규 '날 뽑으러 와요'". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). September 27, 2013.
- ^ "[BK포토] 2013 KBL 드래프트를 빛낸 경희대 3인방" (in Korean). BasketKorea.com. September 30, 2013.
- ^ "경희대 빅3, 남농 신인드래프트 상위 1,2,3 순위 싹쓸이". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). October 1, 2013.
- ^ "신인왕. 개인성적만? 아니면 팀성적도?". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). February 28, 2014.
- ^ "프로농구 MVP LG 문태종, 신인왕 김종규" (in Korean). KBS. April 14, 2014.
- ^ "FA 김종규, 역대 최고 12억7900만원 DB行(종합)". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). May 20, 2019.
- ^ "프로농구 허훈, 김종규 제치고 MVP…첫 부자 MVP 탄생". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). April 20, 2020.
- ^ "KBL 베스트5는?". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). April 20, 2020.
- ^ "DB의 특명, 김종규 없는 20분을 버텨라". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). December 8, 2020.
- ^ "부진했던 DB 김종규, 연봉킹 자리 내줘…이정현·최진수도 삭감 칼바람". Jumpball (in Korean). July 30, 2021.
- ^ "2021-2022시즌 KBL 선수 등록 마감 결과 안내" (in Korean). Korean Basketball League. July 30, 2021.
- ^ "허웅 대신 '3점 슈터'로 변신한 김종규, 패배에 빛 바랜 그의 시즌 하이" (in Korean). BasketKorea.com. January 22, 2022.
- ^ "FIBA profile". fiba.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- ^ "'병역면제' 종규·종현 가치, 20억원 넘는다". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). October 5, 2014.
External links
edit
Media related to Kim Jong-kyu at Wikimedia Commons- Profile at KBL.or.kr
