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🇰🇷 South Korea /Sports

Lee Hyun-jung, 'like a bulldog,' conquers B.League as first Korean playoff MVP

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Lee Hyun-jung was named the MVP of the Japan B.League playoffs, becoming the first Korean player to achieve this honor.
  • He led his team, Nagasaki, to their first-ever B.League championship title.
  • Lee, who has a strong "bulldog spirit," also excelled in the regular season, topping the league in three-point shots made and percentage.

Lee Hyun-jung, a 26-year-old star for the Nagasaki team in Japan's B.League, declared he possesses a "bulldog spirit." His performance in the decisive Game 3 of the 2025-2026 season finals, where he scored a game-high 23 points, led Nagasaki to a 72-64 victory over the Ryukyu Golden Kings.

I have a bulldog spirit.

· Lee Hyun-jungDescribing his mentality in an interview before the final game.

This championship marks the first B.League title for the team, which was founded in 2020. Lee's exceptional playoff run earned him the MVP award, a historic first for a Korean player in the league. Throughout the playoffs, he led his team in both scoring (19.4 points per game) and rebounds (6.7 per game) across seven games.

Lee, a 201cm tall shooter representing Korea, previously won a championship in Australia's Illawarra league last season before joining Nagasaki. This season, he led the league in three-point shots made (187) and success rate (47.9%) over 57 regular-season games. Nagasaki, which had finished sixth in the Western Conference for two consecutive seasons, climbed to first place in the regular season with a 47-13 record before clinching the championship.

His hustle spirit is just like mine.

· Sung Jung-ahLee Hyun-jung's mother, commenting on her son's competitive drive.

Lee is the son of Sung Jung-ah, a member of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics women's basketball silver medal team, and former coach Lee Yoon-hwan. His mother expressed pride in his overseas success, noting, "His hustle spirit is just like mine." She added, "I am proud to see my son surviving in an overseas league. I received a great gift for my 60th birthday this year."

I am proud to see my son surviving in an overseas league. I received a great gift for my 60th birthday this year.

· Sung Jung-ahExpressing her pride and joy over her son's achievements.

Lee is set to return to Korea on June 4th to join the national team. While he wears number 5 for Nagasaki, he will don number 1 for the national team. Ahead of the Asian Games in September, Lee confidently told his mother, "I can win the gold medal. Don't worry." The Korean national team will also participate in the first round of the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers in July, facing Taiwan and Japan.

I can win the gold medal. Don't worry.

· Lee Hyun-jungAssuring his mother about his prospects in the upcoming Asian Games.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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