[점프볼=잠실학생/민준구 기자] “Pride isn’t everything.”
Goyang Orion won 81-79 in the 5th round confrontation with Hyundai Mobis Professional Basketball Seoul SK in 2020-2021 held at the Jamsil Student Gymnasium on the 4th. For them, who were weak in the one-possession fight, the win by two points was even more meaningful. However, it seems that the problem of foreign players has not been resolved.
Orion had been having concerns about the main foreign players before the start of this season. Jeff Wedy, who was an ambitious signing, wasn’t impressed in either way of attacking or defending. In the end, director Eul-jun Kang tried to solve his worries by recruiting Devin Williams instead, but rather had a bigger problem.
Coach Eul-joon Kang wants Williams to play militantly. At a glance, it was calculated that if Williams, who has strong muscles, protects the bottom of the goal, Orion, who has a strong domestic player history, can also look at a higher place.
But Williams, in a word, wants’pretty basketball’. Here you count your pride. Coach Eul-joon Kang as well as the players want Williams to play basketball like a real man, but he is insisting on avoiding tough fights and just making great shots.
Williams has played an average of 14 minutes and 45 seconds in three games after the national break, recording 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 steals. He showed some power under the goal even in the early days of joining Orion, and has now become a’shooting center’ with a mid-range jumper and three-point shot as his main weapon.
In modern basketball, it is said that everyone, regardless of position, should have shooting skills, but it is difficult for any league in any country to insist that Big Man only insist on shooting. In addition, there is no leader or player who will greet Big Man who does not play under the goal. The current Williams meets both of these conditions.
Williams in the game against SK was like a girl with a soft heart compared to her tough appearance. I was scared to go under the goal and took most of my attack options with a midrange jumper and a three-point shot. Thanks to this, Orion’s court balance broke from the moment Williams was put in and allowed SK to pursue it.
Director Kang Eul-joon said, “(Devin) Williams was only motivated by the matchup with (Jamil) Wonnie. In fact, the main foreign player of our team can be seen as (Dedric) Lawson. To be honest, I never thought that Williams would be raging like today.”
“If Williams had this level of skill, he would not have recruited. As a joke earlier, I was asked to find other foreign players.”
There is nothing more foolish than not realizing your own shortcomings. Williams doesn’t readily accept the fact that the team is being substituted even if they don’t play what they want.
Director Kang Eul-jun said, “Every time Williams is replaced, my pride hurts. Even if you explain why it is replaced, you only think about hurting your pride. It is KBL that even NBA graduates cannot easily adapt. It’s never an easy league. Williams shouldn’t build pride here, but find a way to do it better. Today, I was so disappointed that I even used the word’harlem basketball’ that I don’t usually use.”
Director Eul-jun Kang went to the room with his hand-made fruit to become a team with Williams. However, the current Williams is completely ignoring the mind of director Kang Eul-joon.
The players also responded not much differently from coach Eul-jun Kang. Captain Heo Il-young said, “I don’t usually have conversations often. I think the content of the playful part is the role that the coaching staff should play. However, I wish I could adapt quickly. Since he has a strong personality and has a strong sense of pride, there are parts that he does not recognize. Basketball is a team sport. You need to go beyond your style and fit your team.”
Williams is not yet Orion’s real player. It was Williams who refused even when the manager Eul-joon Kang asked about Jonathan Motri before the last E-Land. If you thought you were a member of Orion, it would never come out.
If you think of the individual, not the team, there is no reason for Williams to remain in Orion, nor for Orion to hold onto Williams. Time remains. If Williams doesn’t intend to change, Orion must quickly find a replacement.
# Photo by Yoo Yong-woo
[저작권자ⓒ 점프볼. 무단전재-재배포 금지]