“Don’t lose your mind”
Shinhan Bank is a team that values “speed” and “activity.” One of the representatives of Shinhan’s team color was Kang Gye-ri (164 cm tall, G). He showed weaknesses in physical conditions and shooting ability, but his speed, ball carrying, and passing ability were different. Kang’s strength was a factor that could fully realize Shinhan’s color.
He also gained confidence. In the 2021-2022 season, he played all of the regular league games (30 games) for the first time since his debut. He spent 22 minutes and 56 seconds per game on the court, recording a career high with 7.70 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.47 assists, and 1.37 steals.
However, that was not the case during the 2022-2023 season. Despite the departure of ace and main ball handler Kim Dan-bi (180 cm tall, F), Kang didn’t have a chance. He only played at an average of 10 minutes and 31 seconds in 19 regular league games. He only played 33 seconds in the playoffs.
Kang tried to recover from his slump in the 2023-2024 season. He also got a chance. In 24 regular league games that season, he averaged 19 minutes and 38 seconds with 7.08 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.6 rebounds (attack 1.2). He shot career highs, limiting assists and rebounds.
“I was too bad in 2022-2023. That’s why I feel so weak,” Kang said during training on the afternoon of the 13th. “I think I’ve stopped here during my vacation. However, after returning to the team, I received help from many places. Thanks to the help, I was able to secure my mind. I wanted to keep my mind steady. I came out with good performance,” he said, looking back on the difference between the 2023-2024 season and the 2022-2023 season.
However, Kang was not happy with his performance. This was because his team, Shinhan Bank, failed to play in the playoffs for the 2023-2024 season. As a result, he missed out on the playoff for the fourth consecutive season.
So Kang said, “My personal record was not bad. I did not regret it in that respect. However, my team failed to make the playoffs. I felt sorry for my team’s performance in that regard.”
Recognizing the “slow performance,” Shinhan Bank has been busy since the end of the 2023-2024 season. It lost Kim Sonia (177 cm, F) and Byun So-jeong (180 cm, F), but recruited Jihyun Shin (174 cm, G), Shin Isul (170 cm, G), and Choi Yi-sam (182 cm, F). It will also join Japanese players who will join the Asian quarter system.
However, this process is not welcome to Kang Gye-ri. It means that Kang Gye-ri has more competitors. In particular, Kang Gye-ri’s position may be narrowed if guard resources such as Jihyun Shin and Shin Seul go out for a long time.
Therefore, Kang Gye-ri said, “Both Ji-hyun and Iseul are good. I thought, ‘Can I win the competition?’ However, I have a different style than the two, and I have been with the coach for a long time. After building my body, I have to focus on what I can do,” and picked ‘competition’ as the keyword.
After that, he said, “I have to throw fast when I have a shot chance, and I have to carry the ball fast. I have to do defense and dirty work, too. If I keep my style that way, I think I can play. Of course, I don’t know exactly what the team orders, but I have to keep working hard. I think that will give me a chance.”안전놀이터 추천
Lastly, he said, “Performance is a performance, but I must not lose my mind. That’s why I’m making up my mind.” I thought the most about “mind,” which is an essential and basic requirement for everything