Y13 [EN]: Chapter 17

00017 NCAA Opening

For Youngjae, it felt like the perfect end to the 2009 season. Coach Steve Fisher, addressing the team, said, “I sincerely thank you for your hard work and dedication,” offering words of encouragement and granting them some free time. After the players who had seen action in the final game finished showering, the coaching staff, assisted by the school’s medical personnel, provided them with brief full-body massages.

“Hmm…”

Feeling thoroughly relaxed, Youngjae was about to collapse onto his bed when his gaze fell upon the basketball shoes he had just taken off. His Huarache 2K5s had served him well, enduring intense games and rigorous training for the past two to three months. However, the red ankle band on one of the shoes was now visibly torn and frayed.

Scratch, scratch-

He briefly considered repairing them himself, but worried he might make things worse, Youngjae scratched his head and reluctantly pushed himself out of bed, fighting off the urge to sleep.

“Where are you going?”

As he expected, Leonard’s voice, thick with drowsiness, drifted across the room. Youngjae chuckled, looking at his teammate who seemed on the verge of sleep, and held up the Huarache 2K5s, shaking them gently.

“If I leave them like this, they’ll be falling apart soon.”

“Okay… have a good one…”

Leonard mumbled, barely coherent, as Youngjae left the dorm, taking Leonard’s sleepy farewell with him.

After a brisk 30-minute walk, which he considered a light workout, Youngjae arrived at the specialty basketball store where he had originally purchased the shoes. He glanced down at the worn Huaraches in his hand before stepping inside.

“Welcome.”

It wasn’t the Asian woman he remembered from his previous visit. Instead, a Caucasian woman, who looked like a college student, greeted him. Youngjae gave a slight bow, feeling a pang of disappointment.

“What are you looking for today?”

“Ah, I was wondering if you offered basketball shoe repair services.”

Youngjae presented the Huarache 2K5s with the damaged ankle band. The Caucasian woman looked apologetic.

“Yeon is on vacation today.”

“Yeon is…”

“The clerk who usually works here.”

Youngjae nodded, saying, “Ah, I see.”

“She took some time off to watch the game today. She mentioned it was an NCAA game, but I don’t remember the specifics. Actually, Yeon also handles shoe repairs. I’m just covering for her for the day.”

Youngjae felt a mix of disappointment and awkwardness. He thought to himself, ‘I really need to have at least two good pairs of basketball shoes,’ and decided to purchase a new pair of black Huarache 2K5s.

“I’ll come back another time for the repair.”

————-

Just Once March Madness

{2010 January Mock Draft}

– This column is written with the participation of prominent scouts, including Chad Ford of ESPN. –

I am truly grateful to the many readers who follow my column each year, and I always get excited when I write this piece. Experts are often amazed when the evaluations made at this stage align with the players’ actual performance, while they also acknowledge that anything can happen, especially if players deviate significantly from initial expectations.

This year, as always, I will attempt to rank the TOP 60 prospects among all NCAA players by Tier (Tier: a ranking system that comprehensively assesses players’ abilities, potential, and overall value).

1. Tier 1

John Wall

2. Tier 2

Evan Turner

Demarcus Cousins

Paul George

3. Tier 3

Derrick Favors

Gorden Hayward

Greg Monroe

…

4. Tier 4

Eric Bledsoe

Avery Bradley

…

6. Tier 6

Young Jae Yoon

…

6. Tier 6

Tier 6 consists of players who are among the top 60 prospects but not ranked in the higher Tiers.

6-1. Young Jae Yoon

– Main Position: SG (Shooting Guard)

– Possible Positions: PG (Point Guard) / SF (Small Forward)

– Height: 6-4 (193cm)

– Weight: 180lb (82Kg)

– Comparison: Devin Harris

– 09-10 NCAA Season Record

20.8 points 4.9 rebounds 7.4 assists 2.1 steals 0.4 blocks 1.3 turnovers

Field goal percentage (2 points + 3 points) 56.3% 3-point shot 47.1% Free throw 93.4%

-Overview

If there’s one unexpected name on this list, it’s Young Jae Yoon. I, along with other scouts, am watching Young Jae with considerable interest. Like Yao Ming and Ha Seung-jin, he is of Asian descent, specifically Korean, but unlike them, he’s a guard, not a center. He’s been instrumental in transforming San Diego State University (Aztecs)’s defensive-oriented basketball into a more ‘versatile’ style of play.

He possesses the tactical understanding and physical attributes to play point guard and small forward in addition to his primary position as shooting guard. While his size and strength might limit his ability to play small forward for extended periods, his diverse skill set is evident even in brief stints at that position.

– Offense

He is a well-rounded dual guard, possessing nearly all the skills one would expect. His shooting percentages of 56/47/93 (field goal, 3-point shot, free throw) pose a significant threat to opponents. Coupled with his accurate shooting, he exhibits excellent court vision and reliable dribbling skills, making him a frustrating matchup. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.7 (7.4 assists / 1.3 turnovers) is a testament to his multifaceted abilities. He rarely travels due to his stable dribbling, and steals against him are infrequent. His quick first step and clever use of subtle movements often deceive defenders. He is adept with both hands, showing no preference for left or right when driving to the basket.

-Defense

While his arm length might appear short relative to his height, potentially hindering his defensive capabilities, his quick lateral movement, reaction speed, and high basketball IQ allow him to effectively lock down his assigned opponent. He avoids reckless attempts at steals or blocks, instead forcing opponents into difficult shots and passes. His strong tactical understanding enables him to anticipate recovery and double-team opportunities. His synergy with defensively capable forwards has contributed to San Diego State leading the conference and ranking fifth nationally in fewest points allowed.

– Disadvantages

The Mountain West Conference, to which San Diego State University belongs, is considered a mid-major conference. The skill level of opposing teams is generally lower compared to major conferences, making it difficult to fully trust the statistical data. While he demonstrated his abilities in non-conference games, those contests occurred early in the season and were relatively few in number.

He faces the challenge of proving himself during March Madness [NCAA basketball tournament], a crucial stage for validation. Furthermore, there’s a historical lack of success for Asian guards in the NBA. Yao Ming remains the only successful Asian player in the center position. Ha Seung-jin, also Korean, along with Yi Jianlian of China and Hadadi of Iran, have struggled to establish themselves in the NBA after being drafted.

– Special Items

Despite being Asian, he has lived and studied in the United States since high school, suggesting minimal issues with language and cultural adaptation. His proficiency in English and familiarity with American culture are significant advantages, addressing common challenges faced by foreign players. He is known to be reserved off the court but demonstrates diligence and a strong work ethic. On the court, he remains calm and quick-thinking, effectively controlling the game’s tempo and providing encouragement and composure to his teammates. He maintains excellent emotional control, resulting in few technical or personal fouls.

– Overall review

Yoon Young-jae’s versatility, particularly his reliable ball-handling and high-efficiency scoring, is undeniably appealing. However, he unfortunately did not receive votes placing him higher than Tier 5. His body of work is still relatively limited, and despite showing remarkable improvement since his high school days, concerns remain that his performance might be a temporary surge (a flash in the pan). The fact that he plays in a lower-tier conference is a significant factor. Nevertheless, he remains an intriguing prospect, and continued performance at this level could lead to an NBA opportunity. Personally, he is one of the players I am most excited to watch.

@Wow, is there even a case where a Korean is in Tier 6?

Re: Wasn’t Ha Seung-jin the 17th pick in the 2nd round? I don’t know about the tier, but that’s in the tier.

Re: Ha Seung-jin’s storm 2 assists?

Re: I can’t help it. Ha Seung-jin’s physical condition was honestly a scam. Honestly, they picked Ha Seung-jin in the 2nd round 17th pick just by looking at his height at the time. Did they know it would be such a disaster?

Re: Yoon Young-jae is different. He has been building experience step by step since NCAA, and there is no cultural problem at all, and his language is completely native. I’m honestly really looking forward to it.

Re: Pots, boil! National traits!

Re: Kia~ Madam~~ Please give me a bowl of gukbap [Korean rice soup]!

Re: Why is gukbap coming out here? ㅂㅅㅋㅋㅋ Everything is gukbap.

The evaluation of Youngjae was enough to stir excitement among basketball fans, a group relatively small compared to those of soccer and baseball. However, Youngjae, unaware of Chad Ford’s column, had no idea of the reaction he was generating.

============================ Work Review ============================

★Thank you to those who gave advance reservations, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

Now, from the next episode, it will be 2010. Because of the content, I wanted to upload one more episode, but I was busy with homework today. I will try tomorrow.

dio2n/// Yes, that’s right.

Baekye-nim, Reedben-nim/// Thank you.

Tae-ru-gun-nim/// I’m sad that there are so few basketball novels.

Wooyudongja-nim///Yes. He’s still a bit undersized for a shooting guard. Usually, the average sugar is 6-5 (196cm) and 6-6 is ideal. There are about half a year left until the draft. He’s going to grow a little more.

Yes. Park Ji-sung was number 13^^ I didn’t remember because it was a different sport, but I remembered thanks to Wooyudongja-nim.

Thank you for your advance reservations, recommendations, and comments!!