South Korean basketball star Choi Jun-yong to pursue NBA dream

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean national team forward Choi Jun-yong announced Wednesday he will try to reach the world's top basketball league.

At a press conference in Seoul, Choi said he will soon move to the United States to embark on a journey toward the National Basketball Association (NBA).

"I have had this dream since I was in elementary school," said Choi, who has been playing in the Korean Basketball League (KBL) since 2016. "I have tackled my share of challenges in Korea, but I have always felt something was missing. I know realize I have wanted to go to the NBA for the longest time."

Choi, 32, was the second overall pick by the Seoul SK Knights ahead of the 2016-2017 season. He helped the team win the KBL title in 2018 and 2022 while earning the regular-season MVP award in 2022 as well. He has been playing for Busan KCC Egis since 2023 and won two more titles with them, in 2024 and again in 2026.

In 329 KBL games, Choi has averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. The 200-centimeter forward was a member of the bronze medal-winning South Korean team at the 2018 Asian Games.

"I have won championships and made a lot of money here, and I have not had the courage to leave all that behind," Choi said. "But I have decided it will be now or never."

Choi, who recently underwent knee surgery, said he will continue his rehab in the United States starting in early August, and will try to land a deal with a team in the developmental G League by late August.

"Before I made up my mind, I felt afraid. But now that I have decided to go for it, I no longer have any fear," Choi said. "No one my age has ever tried something like this. A part of me hopes that my decision will have a positive influence on Korean basketball and a younger generation of players. I want to hand out my fliers in a place where no one knows who I am, and I will see how far I can go. I want to show the world that Koreans can hoop, too."

Choi had earlier been rumored to be angling for a move to Japan, but he said he might as well go for the biggest fish.

"I have indeed thought about a move to Japan, but even if I ended up winning a championship and an MVP award in Japan, it will still leave me wanting more," Choi said. "Ultimately, my dream is to challenge myself on the biggest stage in the world's top basketball country."

Choi acknowledged that his parents and Egis team officials were all surprised with his decision, but they have offered their full support.

"Whenever I watch NBA or G League games, I feel like I could fit right in," Choi said with a smile. "You should dream big. I would love to come home in an NBA uniform with a 30 billion-won (US$21 million) contract in hand."

Choi said he leaned on a couple of his national team teammates with international experience for advice: former Davidson sharpshooter Lee Hyun-jung, who once declared for the NBA draft and recently played in the NBA Summer League, and current KBL guard Lee Dae-sung, who had a cup of coffee in the G League in 2017.

"They have been rocks in my life," Choi said. "They both wished me the best and said they believe I will do well over there."