Expert prediction: “The team that is good at ‘offensive basketball’ in the 2nd and 3rd quarters will have the upper hand.”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Hong-seok = Experts pointed out last season's runner-up team, Goyang Sono, as the candidate to win the 2026-2027 professional basketball season, which opens on October 3.
There is analysis that coach Son Chang-hwan's basketball has become more firmly established in the team, and the change of having two foreign players play simultaneously in the second and third quarters fits well with Sono's attack-oriented play.
Changwon LG, with its long-term defense and upgraded offense, and Wonju DB, with Ethan Albano and Henry Ellenson in good health, were also mentioned as candidates for the championship.
There was no disagreement that the change in simultaneous foreign participation would be a major variable in the overall landscape of the league. Experts predicted that the team that prepares more diverse offensive options in the second and third quarters will have the upper hand.
◇ KBS commentator Son Dae-beom = I would choose DB and Sono as the candidates for the championship.
DB has a very good member composition. With the addition of Ellenson and Rayson Hammonds, a composition was created in which Albano could show off his talents even more. We'll have to watch the defense a little more, but I think the firepower in the 2nd and 3rd quarters will be amazing. Coach Lee Gyu-seop also seems to have trained the tall lineup well.
Sono seems to have completely integrated into the team the type of basketball that coach Son Chang-hwan wants. If Lee Jeong-hyun blooms in his second year, he will likely show his strengths in combination with foreign players. The lineup of foreign players focusing on the offensive side is also good.
As a dark horse, Jeong Kwan-jang, who showed his potential last season, comes to mind. Since Moon Yoo-hyun and Byun Jun-hyung have been on the national team for a long time, it is a weakness that they have not yet been able to work hand and foot with foreign players, but if their organizational skills are well aligned in the future, they will likely achieve good results.
Last season's winning team, Busan KCC, seems to need time. Choi Jun-yong (who left the team due to an attempt to advance overseas) played a huge puzzle role in KCC's victory. In fact, it was when Choi Jun-yong started doing well that KCC caught the trend. In the absence of Choi Jun-yong and Song Kyo-chang, the blood transfusion did not work properly, and Heo Hoon was also unable to work together for a long time due to an injury, so it will likely take some time for him to recover.
◇ Park Se-woon, tvN Sports Commentator = LG and Sono come to mind as candidates for the championship.
LG's good defensive organization and system remain intact. Their weakness was that they felt frustrated at times when attacking, but if the newly recruited Archie Goodwin plays well, this weakness will likely be greatly offset. LG has been the team that has consistently had the best power over the past few years, and has also improved in the offense department.
Sono created a sensation last season with his spacing (movement to create offensive space) and powerful perimeter basketball, but his adaptability and solidity will be upgraded to the next level this year. Lee Jung-hyun has improved, and the harmony between the newly recruited Scotty James and Johnny O'Bryant in the exhibition game was also good.
A team with good competitiveness in the 2nd and 3rd quarters is bound to perform well, and when James focuses on offense, O'Bryant can fill in a lot of the defensive space. Changes in the 2nd and 3rd quarter regulations could be a ‘plus’ for Sono.
As a dark horse, I would choose DB in the top tier and Ulsan Hyundai Mobis among the bottom tier teams last year. DB plays basketball that seeks to maximize strengths rather than complement weaknesses. This is an approach that does not place too much burden on players with good scoring ability. Ellenson is not a good defensive player either, but rather than stressing him out, let him play the basketball he is good at. The players are responding well and it seems like there is a lot of excitement.
Hyundai Mobis coach Yang Dong-geun ran the team with a focus on training last season, which was his debut season, but I think he will show his 'claws' this season. The ‘early discharge’ of Lee Woo-seok, who won the men’s basketball gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, is an unexpected plus factor.
◇ Cho Hyeon-il, tvN Sports Commentator = I predict a top-three system of Sono, DB, and LG.
Sono maintained its existing strength and James joined in. James is doing his part on offense, O'Bryant is doing his part on defense, and they also have Kevin Kempao (who has a good outside shot), so I think the 3-point basketball they want will be stronger.
LG strengthened its weak offense with Archie Goodwin. In addition, Yang Hong-seok is also preparing for the team's season for the first time since being discharged from the military, so there will be some upgrades.
DB has proven foreign players in Hammonds and Ellenson. Here, Albano shows great responsibility as captain. Don’t beginner directors sometimes have ‘accidents’? New DB coach Lee Kyu-seop is also capable of producing enough work. DB is also a team that former coach Kim Joo-seong laid a good foundation.
The dark horse is Hyundai Mobis. Seo Myung-jin is also completely on track, but Lee Woo-seok is discharged early and joins the team. I think that if only foreign players play to a certain extent, they can achieve good results.
Having two foreigners playing simultaneously in the 2nd and 3rd quarters will have a significant impact on the game. Just looking at the exhibition games, all teams placed the 2nd and 3rd quarters as the most important. Creating a combination of domestic players suitable for two foreigners has become a new concern for coaches. With two foreign players coming out, we can't slow down the tempo and play defensive basketball. KBL was a league with a strong defensive tendency, but now teams that come out with more numbers and tactics on the offensive side for the 20 minutes of the second or third quarter will perform well.
