“Whenever Hansolemicon calls, I come. Hansolemicon is like an eternal family to me.”
A naturalized Korean citizen from Hong Kong, Joo was drafted by Hyundai Mobis after graduating from Myungji University. Drafted with the 10th pick in the fourth round, he received a huge ovation at the draft site and cried as he thanked Hyundai Mobis for selecting him.
Despite his difficult entry into the pro ranks, Joo’s professional career didn’t last long. After switching teams to KCC and DB, he retired in 2019. After retiring, he joined Hansolemicon, where he played 3×3, prepared for his own business, and recently moved to Hong Kong to live a second life.
He has remained loyal to Hansolemicon and participated in the 2023 KXO 3×3 Seoul Tour and the second round of the KXO League at the Namyangju Sports Round on the 10th.
Recently, Hansolemicon has been suffering from player shortages. With Lee Seung-jun living in Romania due to his personal schedule, existing players such as Seo Moon-se-chan and Kim Dong-woo were unable to participate in the tournament, and the team was in danger of withdrawing from the competition.
Hansolemicon managed to get foreign player Robert Pollard to join them. However, with only three players still available for the tournament, Hansolemicon made an S.O.S. call to Hong Kong-based Zhu Kin-wan.
Recently, Zhu Gin-wan, who lives in Hong Kong for his own business, rushed to Korea at Hansolemicon’s request.
“After I retired from the pros, (Lee) Seung-jun encouraged me to join Hansolemicon, and I had a great time with my teammates,” said Joo, who played in the second round of the KXO League as a way to show his loyalty to Hansolemicon, a team he doesn’t see as often as he used to, but was the first to reach out to him when he was in need. The team is like a family to me,” he said, expressing his affection for Hansolemicon.
“I knew the team was in a tough situation these days. “I knew that the team was in a difficult situation these days, with poor performance and difficulty in recruiting members. I think there are good times and bad times, and I think we can overcome them,” he said, adding, “When the team asked me to come to Korea, I said yes. Personally, I still love basketball, and I’m grateful that they gave me the opportunity to play in the KXO League, so I came to Korea in January,” he said, adding that he couldn’t stand to watch Hansolemicon’s crisis and decided to move to Korea.
Hansolemicon, which competed in the second round of the KXO League with a roster comprised of Kim Chul and Lee Ji-joon, played its first qualifying match against Hallul E&C, which has been on a rapid rise recently. The result was a 15-21 loss.메이저놀이터
“It’s disappointing, but we still have a chance. We will win the next game,” he said.
“For me, Hansolemicon is a team that I will never forget. “Whenever I come to Korea, I spend time with Hansolemicon CEO Kim Jung-wook. The love he puts into our team is unrivaled by any other team. That’s why I love Hansolemicon even more. If Seung-jun’s brother comes back soon and the other players recover, I think we can definitely regain our former reputation. Until then, I will always come to Korea from Hong Kong whenever the team calls me,” he said, expressing his affection for Hansolemicon CEO Kim Jung-wook and his teammates.