<Anchor>
Lee Hyun-joong, the hope of Korean basketball, is challenging to enter the NBA again this year.
Last year, I was frustrated with an injury right before the draft, but I am determined to achieve my dream with an unbreakable heart.
This is reporter Jeon Young-min.
<Reporter> Lee
Hyun-joong, who grew up as the best shooter in American college basketball and dreamed of entering the NBA, suffered a serious setback in June of last year when he broke his foot and severed ligaments just before the draft.
[Lee Hyeon-joong: If I said I wasn't disappointed, I'd be lying. I quickly forgot about it and just thought about how to turn that crisis into an opportunity.]
Now, my injury has fully recovered and my physical condition has improved.
He gained more muscle mass from his 90kg to 98kg, which gave him more confidence in his fights.
The key is to raise the sense of real combat that has fallen off.
[Lee Hyun-joong: I think of myself as 100%, but since I haven't faced players in the US yet, I have to face them now.]
Lee Hyun-joong returned to the United States the day after tomorrow (the 15th) and played again in the G League, the lower league of the NBA. I plan to knock on the NBA door.
It's definitely not an easy road.
However, like Japanese forward Watanabe, who failed in the draft and eventually succeeded in advancing to the NBA through the G-League, I am determined to challenge the stage of my dreams with an unbending heart.
[Lee Hyeon-joong: When I fail and get frustrated, then I will rise again like a zombie, and if I fall down, I will rise again like a zombie and challenge like that.]
(Video coverage: Gong Jin-goo, Video editing: Lee Jung-taek)