We met with Hyundai Mobis Phoebus’ franchise star Yang Dong-Gun.
Doing something in the same field for a long time consistently takes endless patience, diligence, and unseen endeavors. That’s why it’s considered more difficult and valuable than anything. What would a player feel who showed the world consistent performance for 17 years in sports, where everyone works to become no. 1? We met with Hyundai Mobis Phoebus player Yang Dong-Gun, who completed his career as a player last season, leaving behind countless records in the Korean basketball history.
Hyundai Mobis Phoebus’ heart, the name that invokes trust
Yang Dong-Gun has been with manager Yoo Jae-hak since he was a rookie until his retirement.
There’s so many names Yang Dong-Gun is called. Legend of KBL, national treasure point guard, player with most KBL MVP, player with most KBL wins, etc. Nicknamed the man with records rightfully, he has been in the Korean basketball world for a long time and made so many records. We heard from Yang Dong-Gun on his basketball life, who says he didn’t know he would be holding on to the basketball for this long.
Q. How did you begin to play basketball?
“I first started playing basketball when I was in 5th grade. I generally liked sports and wanted to be good and become a sports player. The reason why I chose basketball was because I could practice it on my own for as long as I could. You don’t need much equipment; all you need is a hoop and a ball. I went out with a basketball whenever I had the chance.”
Q. We thought you’d have a special reason, as you are the legend of KBL.
“Legend is too big a word for me, as there are so many players better than me (laughs). I’m a simple guy. I just started to play basketball without much thought.”
Q. You won so many awards, you’re also called the Man with Records. Do you know how many you’ve won?
“Not really (laughs).”
Q. You seem embarrassed, so I will bring up the big awards for you. Best rookie, player with most KBL wins, player with most regular season MVP, simultaneous regular league and playoff MVP, and Gold medal at the Asian Games. You’ve shown great performance ever since you were a rookie.
“It was only possible because I had a great manager and colleagues. I was lucky, too. I just played as the manager and fellow players wanted me to, and I’m just grateful that it led to such good result.”
2006-07 season, with the integrated winning, playoff best player award, regular league MVP, etc., was a glorious year for him.
Q. You’ve shown consistently great performance and played full time; that’s not just luck. What’s your secret?
“I don’t think I’m a special person, I just focused on the basics. Just like other players, when I was unsatisfied with my play, I reviewed endlessly on what I had lacked and tried hard to fix what the manager commented on. But I guess my training had always been voluntary. It’s meaningless to just fill the hours. You have to give everything you’ve got with the will to play a better game. And I believed that with such effort I could achieve what I wanted. I guess that faith would be my secret, if you could call it that.”
Q. You must have had a slump during your career as a player; how did you overcome it?
“I didn’t go through a slump, but there was a moment when I reflected on my basketball life. It was during my Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps days when I had right ankle surgery and focused on rehab for a long time. I thought about retiring and wondered about things like ‘how long would I be able to play basketball?’. After a long contemplation, I came to the conclusion of ‘let’s do my best for today’, so I won’t regret anything even if I retired tomorrow. When things were made simple, I could see the direction I should head to. From then on, I just played basketball without worries. When the game didn’t go as I wanted to, I tried to recognize the problem and fix it instead of feeling blue. I think these experiences trained me to get stronger.”
Q. All games would be special, but do you have THE game of your life you remember the most?
“I remember the 2006-07 season. It was my first integrated win. We led the playoff finals against Busan KTF Magic Wings (current Busan kt Sonic Boom) until the 4th round with 3 wins and 1 loss, and then lost the 5th and 6th rounds consecutively. There was so much pressure on the 7th round. I also had a great will to win. I remember it because it was the first victory I experienced. Our manager, other players, we were so happy after the game. And I especially hold it close to my heart because I played with my forever colleague, Chris Williams. I also won the MVP player award from the reporters, who voted unanimously for me. It was a glorious year.”
Chris Williams (right), who passed away in 2017, was the driving force behind the 2006-07 win, and was Yang Dong-Gun’s soulmate.
Q. We have to talk about Chris Williams when we talk about Yang Dong-Gun’s basketball life.
“We played basketball very well together, but we were also very close friends outside the court as well. I wanted to play my last game before the retirement wearing Chris Williams’ no. 33 uniform, but I couldn’t, because the season got suspended due to Corona 19. It’s a shame. I was thinking of naming my son Chris, and I really did, it’s his English name. I feel privileged to have met such a friend in life. I miss him a lot.”
His 2nd basketball life; dreaming of becoming a manager
For Yang Dong-Gun, Lee Beom-ho is a special friend who was there for both the happy and difficult times.
On April 1st, Yang Dong-Gun held a retirement press conference. As it was April Fool’s day, fans did not believe the news of this retirement as the player had been showing consistently great performance on the court. At the retirement press conference, as he was wrapping up his 17 years of his professional career, Yang Dong-Gun welled up as he spoke. How is Yang Dong-Gun spending his days since the retirement?
Q. The news of retirement was a surprise. Many fans did not expect it.
“I didn’t either (laughs), because the article came out earlier than scheduled. The retirement was announced while I was unaware of it. But I was planning on retiring this year, as I haven’t been feeling like myself on the court lately (laughs). Mobis would do better without me (laughs). They have new, great players this year, and Ji-hoon is solid as ever. I’m looking forward to the rebuilding of the team.”
Q. Speaking of retirement, your best friend Lee Beom-ho had retired from Kia Tigers last year. Your friendship with him is quite famous.
“Beom-ho and I went to the same elementary and middle school together. We became a lot closer thanks to my college friend, Samsung Lions coach Lee Young-soo. Young-soo and I were close because we played sports together since we were in elementary school, and after signing with pro teams, he introduced me to Beom-ho because he thought we’d hit it off. Then we got in touch from time to time and saw that we had a lot in common and we had great conversations. We became best friends who had heart to heart talks. Nowadays, Beom-ho is in the U.S. for the manager training, and he made a video call on the press conference night, making fun of me for being a cry baby (laughs). He told me I did well throughout my career and I really appreciated it. Beom-ho was always by my side, empathized and cheered for me during the high and the lows. He’s a really special friend.”
Q. Just like Lee Beom-ho, you said in your retirement press conference you’d like to become a manager. What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
“Yes, I will be back to court as a manager. I want to study on the things I saw and felt as a player and become a model manager for the players. I was going to stay in the U.S. for about a year; working as a staff for an NBA club and closely studying how the players train and play. But with Corona19, my plans got delayed. So, for now I’m out of work, which I wasn’t planning on (laughs).”
Yang Dong-Gun’s plans for the U.S. was delayed due to Corona19; he’s enjoying leisurely days since the retirement.
Q. How are you spending your days now that you are out of work?
“I’m busier than I was as a player (laughs). Kids don’t go to school yet, so I’m taking care of them with my wife. I’m doing my best to spend my time with them because I feel sorry about not having been the most available father until now. I think my wife worked so hard to make up for my absence. I sincerely want to show my respect for my wife here. And now that I’m out of work, I have a hobby. When I was a player, basketball was all I thought about. For the first time I’m having a few hobbies, and it’s fun. I ride the bicycle, play golf, and go fishing. I’m doing well. I like not feeling pressured to work out for the next season. I feel that ‘I’ve really retired’.”
This One-Club Man has reasons for his love for Mobis.
Hyundai Mobis Phoebus’ no. 6 now remains the Yang Dong-Gun number.
Yang Dong-Gun and Hyundai Mobis Phoebus have a special relationship. The player has been with Hyundai Mobis Phoebus since his rookie days until his retirement. For sports fans, franchise players who only perform for a single club are special and so loved. He heard from Yang Dong-Gun on how he became the ‘one-club man’.
Q. You’ve been an ‘one club man’ since the first year of your professional career until retirement at Hyundai Mobis. You’ve also been together with manager Yoo Jae-hak for a long while as well. What does Hyundai Mobis mean to Yang Dong-Gun?
“Everything. It’s my life. I spent more time with the team than with my family. It was an honor to have started and ended my professional career with Mobis. It was only possible because we had a great weapon called manager Yoo Jae-hak and the faith of the players who believed we were one. I also am thankful to the club, which created an environment that allowed players to only focus on the sport.”
Q. What does manager Yoo Jae-hak mean to player Yang Dong-Gun?
“He’s my role model, someone who’s paving the way I wish to walk on in the future. He experienced victory during his national team manager and is leading the players for a long time now. I’m dreaming of someday becoming a Hyundai Mobis manager and the national team manager like him. I’m going to try my best once again to make that happen.”
He experienced 6 integrated wins as a Hyundai Mobis Phoebus player during the past 17 years. It’s a record for the most wins.
Q. What kind of player do you wish to be remembered as?
“For my colleagues, I wish to be remembered as a player they enjoyed playing with. They don’t have to tell me; if they feel it, it will be enough for me. For the fans, I want to be remembered as a trustworthy player. I wish to have been the player that assured them as they watched our games.”
We hope to meet Yang Dong-Gun as a manager and not a player on the court soon.
Yang Dong-Gun, the ‘icon of diligence’, now has the Hyundai Mobis Phoebus’ 3rd retired number. Hyundai Mobis Phoebus No.6 Yang Dong-Gun leaves his name in the Korean basketball history. Looking at his diligent, silent, and humble attitude towards basketball, we thought of the words, the one that endures the most is the strongest. What would Yang Dong-Gun’s basketball look like outside the court? Here’s hoping for the day he will return to the court as a great leader.
Photography by. Jeon Seok-byung, KBL
