Kim Jong-kyu

Kim Jong-kyu (born July 3, 1991) is a South Korean professional basketball player. He currently plays for Wonju DB Promy in the Korean Basketball League and the South Korean national team.

This article is about the basketball player. For the wrestler, see Kim Jong-kyu (wrestler).
Kim Jong-kyu
2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Korea vs Mexico
No. 15 – Wonju DB Promy
PositionCenter
LeagueKBL
Personal information
Born (1991-07-03) July 3, 1991
Seongnam, South Korea
NationalitySouth Korean
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High schoolNaksaeng High School
CollegeKyung Hee University
KBL draft2013: 1st round, 1st overall pick
Playing career2013–present
Career history
2013–2019Changwon LG Sakers
2019–presentWonju DB Promy
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Representing  South Korea
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2014 IncheonTeam
FIBA Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place2011 Wuhan
Bronze medal – third place2013 Manila
Bronze medal – third place2017 Beirut
William Jones Cup
Silver medal – second place2016 Taipei
Bronze medal – third place2017 Taipei
Kim Jong-kyu
Hangul
김종규
Hanja
金鐘奎
Revised RomanizationGim Jonggyu
McCune–ReischauerKim Chonggyu
In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Early life

Kim was not initially interested in basketball until his teacher noticed that he was the tallest in his class and suggested that he take up the sport. He attended Naksaeng High School in Seongnam where he stood out for his height and athleticism.[1]

College career

Kim played college basketball at Kyung Hee University, where he was teammates with Kim Min-goo and Doo Kyung-min. The trio led Kyung Hee to back-to-back sweeps of the U-League regular season title, championship and MBC Cup in 2011 and 2012 and breaking the dominance of the traditional "big three" of college basketball (Yonsei University, Korea University and Chung-Ang University).[2][1] By the time he finished his senior year, he had double-double averages in points and rebounds, averaging 17.3 points and 11.2 rebounds in four seasons.[3][4]

Professional career

Changwon LG Sakers (2013–2019)

Kim was the first overall pick of the 2013 KBL rookie draft and was drafted by Changwon LG Sakers.[3] Kim Min-goo was second and Doo Kyung-min was third, marking a rare occasion when the first three picks of the rookie draft were all from the same university and not from one of the "big three" college basketball programs.[5][6] He only made his KBL debut in November due to commitments with the national team. His rookie season did not begin smoothly as he drew criticism for missing easy shots but gradually found his footing and became known as a dunk shot specialist.[7] He ended the season with 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds and was voted KBL Rookie of the Year.[8]

At the end of the 2018-19 season, Kim chose not to renew his contract with Changwon LG Sakers and became a free agent. He joined Wonju DB Promy, becoming the league's highest-paid domestic player.[9]

Wonju DB Promy (2019–present)

Kim was a crucial player in DB's dominance in the 2019-20 season, forming a triumvirate with Heo Ung and Doo Kyung-min, who was discharged from military service in January. Kim Min-goo signed with DB that season in a player trade, briefly reuniting him with his former Kyung Hee University teammates. Although they ended the season at the top of the league table, the result was forfeited due to COVID-19 restrictions and the cancelation of the last few rounds. Despite the abbreviated season, he led the league in rebounds among domestic-born players. He was named into the KBL Best 5 and nominated for the Most Valuable Player award but narrowly lost to Busan KT Sonicboom guard Heo Hoon.[10][11]

Two games into the 2020-21 season, DB went on an eleven-game losing streak due to a series of injury problems ravaging key players and experienced veterans. Kim was diagnosed with chronic plantar fasciitis and was limited to 20 minutes per game to manage the pain.[12] DB finished second last in the league.

After the KBL announced its salary cap for the 2021–22 season, Kim negotiated a pay cut and is no longer the league's highest-domestic player, although he is still DB's highest paid player.[13][14] In January, he scored 25 points, including a career-high six three-pointers, in the loss against Seoul SK Knights.[15]

National team career

Kim participated in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[16] Later that year, he was called up for the 2014 Asian Games hosted at home. The team won the gold medal, the first since 2002, and Kim and other teammates who had yet to serve their mandatory military service were granted exemptions.[17]

References
  1. "[MY FAMILY] "한 살 때부터 긴~ 종규" 김종규 어머니가 말하는 우리 아들". Jumpball (in Korean). 12 July 2017.
  2. "두경민(체육대학 10학번) 선수, 발전기금 5,000만 원 약정 — "경희대 농구부 경험이 나를 오늘의 자리에 오르게 했다"" (in Korean). Kyung Hee University Alumni Association. 23 August 2018.
  3. "LG, 신인 1순위로 경희대 김종규 지명" (in Korean). KBS. 30 September 2013.
  4. "<프로농구> 경희대 김민구·김종규 '날 뽑으러 와요'". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 27 September 2013.
  5. "[BK포토] 2013 KBL 드래프트를 빛낸 경희대 3인방" (in Korean). BasketKorea.com. 30 September 2013.
  6. "경희대 빅3, 남농 신인드래프트 상위 1,2,3 순위 싹쓸이". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 1 October 2013.
  7. "신인왕. 개인성적만? 아니면 팀성적도?". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 28 February 2014.
  8. "프로농구 MVP LG 문태종, 신인왕 김종규" (in Korean). KBS. 14 April 2014.
  9. "FA 김종규, 역대 최고 12억7900만원 DB行(종합)". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 20 May 2019.
  10. "프로농구 허훈, 김종규 제치고 MVP…첫 부자 MVP 탄생". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 20 April 2020.
  11. "KBL 베스트5는?". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 20 April 2020.
  12. "DB의 특명, 김종규 없는 20분을 버텨라". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 8 December 2020.
  13. "부진했던 DB 김종규, 연봉킹 자리 내줘…이정현·최진수도 삭감 칼바람". Jumpball (in Korean). 30 July 2021.
  14. "2021-2022시즌 KBL 선수 등록 마감 결과 안내" (in Korean). Korean Basketball League. 30 July 2021.
  15. "허웅 대신 '3점 슈터'로 변신한 김종규, 패배에 빛 바랜 그의 시즌 하이" (in Korean). BasketKorea.com. 22 January 2022.
  16. "FIBA profile". fiba.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  17. "'병역면제' 종규·종현 가치, 20억원 넘는다". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 5 October 2014.
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