KCC head coach Lee Sang-min captures first championship after 12 years of perserverance

Lee Sang-min, long known as Korean basketball’s “eternal heartthrob,” has finally captured his first championship as head coach of the Busan KCC Egis — the culmination of years of perseverance despite enduring public ridicule as a “failed coach.”

Led by Lee, the KCC defeated Goyang Sono Skygunners 76-68 in Game 5 of the 2025-26 KBL championship series at Sono Arena in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Wednesday. The KCC clinched the best-of-seven series 4-1 to secure its first title in two years and seventh overall championship. KCC guard Heo Hoon was named MVP in the finals.

A historic underdog, the KCC also became the first sixth-place regular-season team in the KBL’s 29-year history to win the championship. Likewise, Lee became the first person in league history to win titles with the same club as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

Moments after the KCC’s victory, Lee let out a deep sigh and watched as his jubilant players celebrated on the court. The reaction appeared to reflect the 12 difficult years that he had endured. Later, his eyes reddened slightly as he took in the championship ceremony.

During his time as a player, Lee’s name was synonymous with sports stardom in Korea.

With both his handsome looks and elite skills, he drew massive crowds of teenage female fans in the 1990s. He is also credited with popularizing the term oppa budae, referring to groups of devoted female fans who follow male celebrities. “Oppa” is a Korean honorific used by women for older men; in the context of pop culture, “budae” is often synonymous with fan groups.

Lee topped the KBL All-Star fan vote for nine consecutive seasons and won three championships with the KCC during his playing days.

But his coaching career unfolded very differently.

Lee began as an assistant coach with the Seoul Samsung Thunders in 2012 before taking over as head coach two years later. However, he failed to win a single championship during his eight seasons in charge. His best result was a runner-up finish in the 2016-17 season. Samsung then missed the playoffs for four straight years, and Lee stepped down midway through the 2021-22 season under difficult circumstances in January 2022.

In the summer of 2023, Lee returned to the KCC as an assistant coach. It was unusual for a former head coach to accept an assistant role, but Lee embraced the opportunity without hesitation. Working under Jeon Chang-jin, who was head coach at the time, Lee studied the KCC’s tactics, roster management and player leadership, and the team went on to win the championship in his first season as assistant coach.

After spending two seasons building on his previous experience, Lee took on the role of head coach again this season. KCC entered the year as a championship favorite with a star-studded roster featuring brothers Heo Ung and Heo Hoon, along with national team-caliber players such as Choi Jun-yong and Song Kyo-chang.

Lee defied widespread expectations that the KCC would struggle to contend for the title this season. The team swept the Wonju DB Promy in the first playoff round before defeating the second-seeded Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters 3-1 in the semifinals.

The key to the KCC’s turnaround, according to Lee, was its one-team leadership. Rather than imposing his authority on a roster filled with strong personalities, Lee prioritized listening to his players and increasing his flexibility as a coach. During games, KCC players can often be seen interrupting Lee as he explains the strategy during timeouts. Some critics mocked those moments, saying, “It looks more like a strategy debate than a timeout,” but Lee ultimately established “communication basketball” as the team’s identity.

“I achieved the final dream of my life by winning a championship as head coach,” Lee said. “Being a head coach really is an extremely difficult job, but I feel happy because the championship made it all worthwhile.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY PIH JU-YOUNG [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]