The first pick went to the Cheongju KB Stars. KB selected 1.82 meters tall forward Ko Hyun-ji (17-Supia Girls High School). Katie Timmerman (24), who dreamed of the “Korean Dream,” will also try her hand at the WKBL while wearing the jersey of Shinhan Bank in Incheon.

The 2023-24 WKBL Player Draft was held at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Cheongju Gymnasium in Chungcheongbuk-do. Earlier in the day, KB and Bucheon Hana OneQ each had a 50 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick, the first time in four years that KB has won the pick.

On the podium, KB head coach Kim Wansu nominated Ko Hyun-ji, saying, 온라인카지노“I haven’t seen him for a year or two, but since elementary school. He can become a player who represents the country,” he said. Ko was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the girls’ high school division of the 2022 Korean Basketball Weekend League Wangjoong Wangjeon, and she has also played for her country at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. He is also a second-generation basketball player. His mother is the daughter of 1990 Beijing Asian Games gold medalist Cho Moon-joo. Cho also played for Kookmin Bank when she was unemployed, and Ko Hyun-ji also started her professional career with KB.

“I want to thank everyone at KB for nominating me, and I also want to thank my family and tell them I love them. I think I look good in yellow, and I’m happy to be at KB,” said Ko. He was overwhelmed with emotion and showed a tearful acceptance speech.

Meanwhile, in the first round, all three members of Bundang Business School were nominated, which attracted attention. Earlier, Busan BNK, the second-ranked team, selected Kim Jong-yeon (17-Hyosung Girls’ High School). The third-ranked team, Shinhan Bank, selected guard Heo Yoo-jung (17), who won the defense and scoring awards after finishing third in the 2023 National Boys and Girls Basketball Tournament.

The fifth and sixth spots were also filled by former Bundang Business School players. BNK selected forward Park Da-won (18) and Woori Bank selected center Byun Ha-jung (18). Samsung Life Insurance, ranked fourth, selected forward Lee Yena (17-Cheongju Girls’ High School).

Byun, who has been touted as a “Basketballer 2,” will share the stage with her older sister, Byun So-jung (Shinhan Bank). Shortly after being selected, Byun said, “I’m grateful to my sister for being my support. I was picked sixth in the first round, but I will be a player who will not be left behind,” he said encouragingly.

The ‘2023~24 WKBL New Player Selection Meeting’ was held at Cheongju Gymnasium in Chungcheongbuk-do on the 4th. Shinhan Bank selected Katie Timmerman after receiving a second-round pick in a trade. Pictured here are Shinhan Bank head coach Gunadan Gun and Katie Timmerman. Photo courtesy of WKBL

After being recognized as the “Korean Dream,” Timmerman received a call from Shinhan. Shinhan received the second-round pick in a trade with Busan’s BNK Thumb just before the second-round event, sending Shim Soo-hyun and receiving the second-round pick, which they used to select Timmerman. “I’m very excited to play in my mother’s country,” Timmerman said on the podium.

Earlier, Woori Bank selected forward Kim Sol (17-Hwabongo). National team guard Kim Soo-in (17-Sung Eui Girls’ High School) was selected with the third pick of the second round. He will be followed by Seo Jin-young (Shinhan Bank), Shin Tae-hee (Hana OneQ), and Sung Soo-yeon (KB) as they head to the professional stage.

Their former clubs did not exercise their draft rights in the third and fourth rounds. Of the 28 players who attended the draft, 12 will wear professional jerseys in the upcoming 2023-24 WKBL.

2023-24 WKBL Draft Results

[Round 1].
1st (KB) – Ko Hyun-ji (17-Supia High School)
2nd (Hana WonQ→BNK) – Kim Jong-yeon (17-Hyosung Girls’ High)
3rd place (Shinhan Bank) – Heo, Yoo Jung (17-Bundang Management High School)
4th (Samsung Life Insurance) – Lee Yena (17-Cheongju Girls’ High School)
5th place (BNK) – Park Da-won (18-Bundang Management High School)
6th place (Woori Bank) – Byun Ha-Jung (18-Bundang Management High School)

[Round 2]
1st place (Woori Bank) – Kim Sol (17-Hwa Bong Go)
2nd place (BNK → Shinhan Bank) – Katie Timmerman (24-Concordia University)
3rd place (Samsung Life Insurance) – Kim Sooin (17-Sung Eui Girls’ High School)
4th place (Shinhan Bank) – Jin Young Seo (18-Sunil Girls’ High School)
5th place (Hana OneQ) – Shin Tae-hee (17-Sangju Women’s High School)
6th place (KB) – Sung Su-yeon (18-Chuncheon Girls’ High School)