At forty-three years old, the oldest player in professional basketball, Kim Dong-wook (42), is leaving the court.
According to the basketball world on the 24th, Kim Dong-wook, who is eligible for free agency (FA) after the 2022-2023 season, has decided to end his active career.
Last season, Kim appeared in 29 regular-season games for Suwon KT, averaging 5 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 rebounds. He made 1.3 three-pointers per game.
He was praised for his accurate shooting and steady game, and was said to still be competitive in close games, but the passage of time hasn’t stopped him.
Kim Dong-wook is a classic second-round myth.토토사이트
He started his professional career with Seoul Samsung in the second round (14th overall) of the 2005 rookie draft. He was expected to be a great player as an amateur, but two ankle surgeries in college and a failure to adapt to the team slowed his growth.
After joining the team, he quickly rose to the occasion and established himself as a key member of the roster amidst the likes of Seo Jang-hoon, Lee Sang-min, Lee Kyu-seop, and Kang Hyuk.
However, in December 2011, he was traded for Kim Seung-hyun and switched to Orion (now Day One).
It was a turning point. He hit the free agency jackpot and won a championship ring in the 2015-2016 season under head coach Choo Il-seung with Joe Jackson, Aaron Haynes, Moon Tae-jong, Heo Il-young, Lee Seung-hyun, Choi Jin-soo, Jang Jae-seok and a fiery offense. This is his second championship since his rookie year.
In the championship game against KCC in Jeonju, Kim Dong-wook was considered for the MVP award for his all-around performance on the offensive end with his three-point shooting and sharp passing, while guarding the late Andre Emmett. He averaged 12.7 points, 2.8 assists, and 3.8 rebounds, while hitting 2.2 three-pointers. He shot a whopping 48.1% from three-point range.
He returned to his hometown team Samsung as a free agent in 2017 and wore the KT jersey one more time before retiring in 2021.
In his professional career, he averaged 7.7 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.3 rebounds. He made 1.2 three-pointers per game and shot 37.5% from beyond the arc.
He will reportedly spend time with his family for the time being. He is said to be responsible for driving his daughter, who is a dancer, and his son, who is in elementary school, to and from school.