A faster, bolder and younger Korean basketball team heads to the Asia Cup

Korea's men's basketball team enters the FIBA Asia Cup with success in friendlies and a youthful, revamped roster.

Yeo Jun-seok dunks with both hands during a friendly against Qatar at the 2025 men’s national basketball team tune-up hosted by Hana Bank at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena in Gyeonggi on July 20. [YONHAP]

With a revamped roster and four consecutive pretournament victories, Korea’s men’s basketball team enters the FIBA Asia Cup next month with renewed momentum and cautious optimism.

The national team defeated Qatar 95-78 on Sunday at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena, completing a sweep of two friendlies following two earlier wins over Japan on July 11 and 13. The international tournament is set to open in Saudi Arabia on Aug. 5.

In the latest FIBA world rankings, Japan stands at No. 21, Korea at No. 53 and Qatar at No. 87. Despite their lower ranking, Qatar has raised their profile with the addition of former NBA guard Brandon Goodwin, 29, who did not play in the first match but scored 23 points in the second.

Korea, drawn into Group A alongside Australia, at No. 7, Lebanon, which is at No. 29, and Qatar — a group some have called the “Group of Death” — faces a challenging path. Still, head coach Ahn Jun-ho, 69, said the team’s preparation remains focused.

“I’m happy with the wins, but we won’t get complacent,” Ahn said after Sunday’s game. “Neither team showed their full hand. We used these matches to test different combinations.”

The team’s recent form marks a notable shift after a difficult period. Korea finished a disappointing seventh at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, its worst-ever result, and failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Appointed in February, Ahn introduced a bold generational overhaul, leaving out veterans such as Heo Ung, Heo Hoon and Choi Jun-yong, and instead selecting younger talent, including Lee Hyun-jung of the Illawarra Hawks in Australia, Yeo Jun-seok of Seattle University and Yang Jun-seok of the Changwon LG Sakers.

Korean players celebrate their 95-78 victory over Qatar during a 2025 men’s national basketball team friendly hosted by Hana Bank at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena in Gyeonggi on July 20. [YONHAP]

Lee and Yeo, playing together for the first time on the national team, were standouts against Qatar. Yeo scored 24 points and grabbed five rebounds while Lee added 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Korea, which lacks both height and naturalized players, relied on transition play and perimeter shooting, making 14 3-pointers at a 56 percent success rate.

In the final quarter, the team energized fans with consecutive alley-oop dunks from Yeo and Ha Yun-gi, assisted by Yang.

“This is the first time Lee and Yeo are playing together on the national team,” Ahn said. “We’ll use the remaining time to improve our cohesion and elevate our competitiveness on the international stage. We may not have a traditional big man, but we’ll give it our all.”

Yeo expressed confidence heading into the tournament. “I’ve never gone into a tournament expecting to lose,” he said. “Hyun-jung and I will develop better chemistry. Our goal is to win.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY PIH JU-YOUNG [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]