Preparing for the new season in Japan… “Thank you for the evaluation of the winner, but I don’t think so.”
(Saga = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Song-ah = "Thank you for your positive comments, but I don't think that's the case. I think it's the 'Spring and Autumn Warring States Period' where possibilities are open to everyone."
This is what coach Son Chang-hwan of professional basketball team Goyang Sono, who overcame a slump at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season and earned the nickname 'Miracle' by overcoming a slump in the beginning of the 2025-2026 season to make it to the playoffs (PO) since its founding and advance to the championship game, was asked about being evaluated as a 'championship candidate' for the upcoming season.
Sono, last season's runner-up team, has been preparing for the new season by training in Saga, Japan since the 31st of last month.
Coach Son Chang-hwan, whom I met at Saga, said, "If the month left until the opening is long, it is long. If it is short, it is a short time, but it is not enough for me. I feel like I want to use all 24 hours, but training always seems to end unfortunately."
Sono, which includes last season's regular league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Lee Jeong-hyeon and Asian Quarter Player Kevin Kempao, who won the Rookie of the Year award, is in good health, and is entering the new season with a new lineup of foreign players.
They parted ways with Nader Knight, the main player in the runner-up team, and recruited Scotty James, who had experience in the European and Asian leagues, as a new '1 option', and Johnny O'Bryant, who had KBL experience, also joined.
Director Son said, “James and Kembao joined us when they came to Japan. They have basic capabilities, but they are adapting to what we do, so it is difficult to evaluate their performance.”
Even though Knight integrated into the team over time last season and achieved results, changing the composition of foreign players was a decision for 'upgrade'.
Coach Son introduced, "We narrowly made it to the semifinals last season, so I thought there should be an upgrade. James was a player I knew about before and thought it would be good to come, and because I had a connection with general manager Lee Ki-wan, I actively pushed for it and it came to fruition."
He continued, “With James coming, we had to change the 2-option plan, and while things were not going well, Coach Tyler Gartlin asked me what about O’Bryant. I asked if it would work because of the salary cap, but O’Bryant told me that he enjoyed our team’s basketball and wanted to play with us, and that the amount of money was not an issue.” He added, “I think he also felt the benefit of participating in the East Asian Super League (EASL).”
Regarding the composition of foreign players, Coach Son said, "We are in a better situation in terms of name value," and said, "They are both good players, and their personalities are team-friendly. There are players who are insincere when asked to do something they don't like, but these players are sincere, so there is an expectation that they will do well as long as they do well."
Although foreign players have joined, Sono is not yet complete.
Ace Lee Jeong-hyun will also participate in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games starting on the 10th, and if the national team advances to the medal match, he will be able to join Sono only after the 21st.
Coach Son said, “The player (Lee Jeong-hyun) wanted to do it, so we are communicating by sending him videos. He may have seen and understood the basic framework while rehabbing with the team after his injury, but seeing and doing are different, so he has to come in and see it first.” He added, “I am considering whether to increase the game time little by little after joining, or to let him play a lot from the beginning so he can get used to it.”
While Lee Jeong-hyun and foreign players were absent, it was inevitable that more opportunities would be given to backup members during practice games. Coach Son said, "Several players showed improvement from last season. I am grateful," and added, "I think they will play at least a role in the team this season, even if they do not play a lot of time."
Sono, who hovered in the middle or lower ranks until the middle of last season, advanced to 'Spring Basketball' thanks to a 10-game winning streak at the end of the regular season, and continued his momentum in PO, is evaluated as a 'championship candidate' this season.
Coach Son said, "Thank you for your positive comments, but that's not the case. There are no major changes other than foreign players. All teams have been strengthened for foreign players, and considering all these things, I think it is the 'Spring and Autumn Warring States Era'. I am grateful for your expectations, but I think the possibility is open to everyone."
When asked what his goal was, he said, "Final semifinals," and added, "Rather than bragging about winning, I'm trying to think realistically."
When asked to define Sono's basketball this season, Coach Son answered 'promise'.
He explained, "I will play basketball as promised. This does not mean I am old school or old-fashioned, but it is a promise to win and have fun."
“I think everything depends on attitude. If you don’t have the attitude, it’s hard to do anything and it’s hard to succeed,” said Coach Son, adding, “I think the important condition for a prestigious club is ‘culture,’ and that is also related to attitude. Part of attitude is keeping promises.”
Although he experienced trial and error last season when he debuted as a professional coach, this season, which is his second year, could be a new test for Coach Son, who has been attracting attention as an emerging master as the 'innership' he has accumulated while working as a power analyst and coach is slowly shining.
Coach Son, who said with a characteristic calm expression, "It's my second year, it's no different. I'm always half excited and half afraid," emphasized, "Playing two foreign players at the same time is new to everyone, so it's hard to say what the benefit is yet. I think the biggest variable is injuries, and I think we need to be careful."
Sono plans to stay in Saga until the 11th to further improve his skills through practice games with local teams.
