The 2022-2023 season women’s professional basketball (WKBL) All-Star game held at Incheon Dowon Gymnasium on the 8th. A man broke into the court in the middle of the second quarter. It was Lee Seung-jun (45), the husband of Sonia Kim (30, Shinhan Bank), who participated in the All-Star game. Seungjun Lee is also a former professional basketball player who played for Samsung, Dongbu, and SK.
When Lee Seung-jun appeared on the court, Dowon Gymnasium, which is also Shinhan Bank’s home court, was excited by the cheers of a full crowd (1,622 people). Lee Seung-jun and Kim Sonia had a one-on-one confrontation. Sonia Kim, whom we met at the same gym on the 11th, said, “I was taken aback by her unexpected appearance. Except for her husband, everyone in the stands looked white. She was really happy thinking about the moments when the two of them were doing matchup training together,” she laughed.
They have a commonality of being from multicultural families and have the same position (power forward). The two started dating in 2019 and became a couple the following year. Sonia Kim was born to a Korean father and a Romanian mother, and Lee Seung-jun has an American father and a Korean mother.
Sonia Kim joined Woori Bank as a mixed-race player in 2012, but returned to Romania after two seasons due to her family’s health problems. Sonia Kim, who played in the Romanian, Czech, and Polish leagues, returned to Woori Bank in 2018 and received the MIP for two consecutive seasons from the 2019-2020 season, establishing herself as a key player in the team. Sonia Kim said, “It is thanks to her husband who helped her as a training opponent during the off-season and as a power analyst during the season.”
Sonia Kim left Woori Bank and moved to Shinhan Bank ahead of this season. National team forward Kim Dan-bi (33), who played for Shinhan Bank, obtained the qualification as a free agent (FA) and signed a contract with Woori Bank, and Shinhan Bank designated Sonia Kim as a compensation player. Danbi Kim, who moved from Shinhan Bank to Woori Bank, was the MVP of the first and second rounds this season, and Sonia Kim was the MVP of the third round. Sonia Kim won the first round MVP award after her debut, averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 5 games in the 3rd round.
Sonia Kim said, “(Kim) Danbi is the ace representing Korean basketball. But after I came, I did my best not to hear that Shinhan Bank’s power had deteriorated.” Lee Seung-jun, who was by his side, said, “Sonia has a fighting spirit and a fighting spirit. Also, if you give advice, you will learn it quickly. He was the original MVP to me,” he praised his wife.
The biggest change in the third round is his 3-point shooting ability. Sonia Kim, who has a career 3-point shot success rate of 31.0%, has a 42.9% 3-point shot success rate in the third round this season. Sonia Kim said, “His husband kept complimenting me, saying, ‘You are an original shooter,’ so I gained confidence in my 3-point shot.”
WKBL, which had an All-Star break since December 26 last year, resumes its league schedule on the 14th. Shinhan Bank is in 4th place with 8 wins and 9 losses. I am pulling my chin up on the last line to advance to the playoffs, but I cannot relax. This is because KB Stars, ranked 5th (4 wins, 13 losses), is aiming for a rebound in the second half with the return of Park Ji-soo (25).
Sonia Kim said, “At the beginning of the season, I lost a lot of games, so I was frustrated. However, when I was at Woori Bank, my older sisters always took care of my younger siblings, and I, one of them, grew up in that fence. I am the older sister on this team. I want to lead my younger siblings well and grow together.” Shinhan Bank will play its first game of the second half on the 18th against Woori Bank (16-1), the top team. Sonia Kim said, “I lost to Woori Bank three times this season. I will do better so that I won’t lose any more.” 바카라사이트