TheBusan KCC Egis (Korean:부산 KCC 이지스) is a professionalbasketball club based inBusan, South Korea. The team competes in theKorean Basketball League (KBL) and has established a substantial fanbase in South Korea. Founded in 1997, the team was initially based inDaejeon and was later relocated toJeonju and Busan, respectively.
The team was founded in March 1978 as the Hyundai Basketball Team, owned and sponsored byHyundai.[1] In 2001, the club, named Hyundai Gullivers at the time, relocated fromDaejeon toJeonju. In the same year,Kumgang Korea Chemical (now KCC) acquired the team after the financial difficulties of Hyundai Electronics.[2]
After 22 years in Jeonju, the KCC Egis relocated toBusan in 2023, making the return of professional basketball to the city following theKT Sonicboom's departure two years prior.[3] The decision to relocate was prompted by delays in the construction of a new arena in Jeonju, which had been promised six years earlier.[4]
In May 2024, the Egis won their sixth KBL championship following a 4–1 win over the Suwon KT Sonicboom, becoming the first fifth-seeded team to win the title.[5]Heo Ung was named Finals MVP.[5]
Lee Sang-min joined the team in 1995 and was the key player in leading Daejeon Hyundai Dynat to the championship in the 1997–98 season, earning MVP award that year.[10] He continued his success in the 1998–99 season, leading the team to another championship and winning MVP for the second consecutive year.[11] As a point guard, he excelled not only in leadership and assists but also in scoring, and he was a player who combined height with strong defensive skills. Due to his remarkable performances, Lee earned significant recognition from the team, and his jersey number was retired by KCC.
Ha Seung-jin
In the 2008 KBL Draft,Ha Seung-jin was selected as the first overall pick by Jeonju KCC Egis. He made an immediate impact, earning the Rookie of the Year award during the 2008–09 season. As the team's center, Ha was a significant contributor and was named in the KBL Best 5 in 2010, 2011, and 2016. Despite the team finishing third in the regular season during the 2010–11 season, Ha played a pivotal role in leading Jeonju KCC to the championship title. His performance earned him the Korean Basketball Playoff MVP title.[12] During the 2015–16 season, he became a dominant presence under the basket, marking a second peak in his career. His performance was instrumental in leading the team to a first-place finish in the regular season and advancing to the finals. However, the team ultimately fell short in the championship series. In addition to his domestic achievements, he secured a silver medal at the2010 Asian Games while representing the South Korea national team.[13] Over the course of his eleven-year tenure with Jeonju KCC Egis, from 2008 to 2019, he established himself as a key figure before retiring.[14]
Song Kyo-chang
Song Kyo-chang is a prominent figure in South Korean basketball and gained recognition as the first high school player to be a lottery pick in the2015 KBL draft.[15] He joined the Jeonju KCC Egis and quickly became known as a franchise player. Although his debut season was modest, Song's consistent hard work earned him the Most Improved Player Award for the2016–17 season.[16] By the2019–20 season, he developed his shooting, penetration, ball handling, and fast-break abilities, becoming a top-tier offensive player in the KBL and was named round MVP.[17] In the2020–21 season, Song's stable individual performance contributed significantly to KCC's regular season championship, leading to his selection as the regular season MVP by a wide margin.[18] Afterward, he secured a five-year contract extension with KCC, highlighting his indispensable role in the team's offense, defense, and rebounding.[19] Song also made his debut for the South Korea national team in 2017, and at the2022 FIBA Asia Cup, he showcased strong defensive skills, effectively guarding agile opponents and excelling in help defense and rebounding, solidifying his role as a key defensive player for the national team.[20]
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