10 Teams In 10 Days: Busan KCC Egis

Our East Asia Super League editorial staff breaks down the key storylines, players and statistics of each franchise as tip-off nears.

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Busan KCC Egis

Busan KCC made Korean Basketball League history in 2023-24. Not only did KCC capture its sixth KBL Championship in May, but they also became the first-ever fifth-seeded team to do so after defeating the Suwon KT Sonicboom in five games.

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Historically, KCC are strong regular-season performers. Busan KCC has finished atop the KBL standings five times and has placed second three times since its inception in 1978.

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Although, at 46, the franchise is one of the oldest in this year’s East Asia Super League (EASL) field, the Egis’ relocation to Busan — after 22 years in Jeonju — took place in 2023 and was their fifth time rebranding. The Egis were originally known as the Hyundai Basketball Team.

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Here’s everything you need to know about Busan KCC Egis:

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3-Pointers

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1. The KBL’s Superteam

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Busan KCC enters the 2024-25 season with one of the KBL’s best rosters. Not only have the Egis returned some of the league’s best local talent in Heo Ung, Song Kyo Chang, Lee Seoung Hyun and Choi Jun Yong, but they’ve also added import players — Tyler Davis and Deonte Burton.

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During its championship-winning 2023-24 campaign, Busan KCC’s ‘Core Four’ combined for over half of the team’s 89 points per game. Star guard Heo averaged 16.1 points on 49.3% shooting from the field and knocked down a team-best 163 3-pointers through 64 games.

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Now, with the additions of Davis and Burton — both of which have NBA experience with the Oklahoma City Thunder —  the Egis are poised for a domestic repeat and head into their first EASL season with an abundance of talent.

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2. New Year, New Facilities

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Busan KCC’s home fortress — the Busan Sajik Basketball Stadium — bore witness to the city’s first professional championship in 27 years when the Egis took down Suwon KT.

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More than 10,000 spectators flocked to Busan’s stadium for the team’s decisive Game 5 victory, according to Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, but complaints were voiced afterward about the venue’s poor facilities and operations.

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So, the city decided to make changes. On May 15, the new Busan Sajik Basketball Stadium was unveiled to 3,500 fans who attended the event, inviting a newfound buzz around the organization.

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“The Egis won a championship in their first year after relocating to Busan,” Busan Mayor Park Heon Joon said. “I look forward to seeing players fly even higher in the newly renovated home stadium starting next season.”

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KCC will play against the Meralco Bolts, Macau Black Bears and the New Taipei Kings at home during the Group Stage.

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3. Don’t Count Busan Out

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Busan finished the 2023-24 regular season as the KBL’s No. 5 seed with a 16-12 record. Its performance granted the team a quarterfinal spot in the postseason, but the Egis missed out on a first-round bye.

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Awarded to only the KBL’s top two teams, automatic entry into the semifinals ensured Wonju DB Promy (No. 1 seed) and the Seoul SK Knights (No. 2 seed) one less opponent to face en route to the Finals.

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But facing an uphill battle, Busan completed a series-sweep of SK (3-0) before beating DB (3-1) with relative ease. In the KBL Finals, Busan dropped Game 2 before cruising to a convincing three-game win streak to triumph over Suwon KT (4-1). 

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KCC’ impressive perseverance to forget their disappointing regular-season finish — and emerge as KBL champions —is an asset that might propel Busan KCC to a surprise EASL title.

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Players To Watch

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1. Lee Seoung Hyun

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A former No. 1 pick in the 2014 KBL Draft, Lee spent the majority of his career with the Goyang Orion Orions before joining KCC in 2022. 

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The 6-foot-6 forward tallied 6.9 points per game and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 84.2% from the free-throw line in 2023-24. Lee also spent time with South Korea’s national team, recording a team-high in minutes played during the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge. 

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2. Heo Ung

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Selected in the same 2014 draft class as Lee, Heo has undergone steady progression since entering the KBL. In 2016, he earned Most Improved Player honors and in 2022, Heo made his first KBL Best 5 team. The 6-foot-1 guard is now a KBL champion and a Playoffs MVP (2024). 

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In this year’s KBL Finals, Heo averaged 18.8 points over five games to help Busan KCC down Suwon KT.

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3. Deonte Burton

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Deonte Burton returns to Korea for the first time since making his professional debut with the KBL’s Wonju DB Promy in 2017-18. Burton joined Wonju DB after going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft and was named 2018 KBL Foreign MVP.

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An explosive 6-foot-4 guard, Burton spent time five years (2018-2023) in the NBA — and its G-League affiliates — before signing with Puerto Rican team, Mets de Guaynabo.

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Busan KCC By The Numbers

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Busan KCC’s 2023-24 KBL Season

• Regular season record: 16-12
• Finished 5th in KBL regular season standings
• Defeated Seoul SK Knights (3-0), Wonju DB Promy (3-1) and Suwon KT Sonicboom (4-1) to win 2024 KBL Championship

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Busan KCC’s 2023-24 KBL Statistic Leaders

• Points: Heo Ung — 15.9 ppg
• Rebounds: Alize Johnson — 9.8 rpg
• Assists: Choi Joon-Young — 4.1 apg
• Steals: Song Kyo-Chang, Alize Johnson — 0.7 spg
• Blocks: Choi Joon-Young — 1.1 bpg

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Team Schedule

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