Jump to content

Kang Byung-hyun

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Kang Byung-Hyun)
In this Korean name, the family name is Kang.
Kang Byung-hyun
Kang in 2021
Personal information
Born (1985-03-03) 3 March 1985 (age 40)
Busan, South Korea
NationalitySouth Korean
Listed height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Career information
High schoolJungang High School
(Busan, South Korea)
CollegeChung-Ang University (2004–2008)
KBL draft2008: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Drafted byIncheon Electroland Black Slammers
Playing career2008–2022
PositionShooting guard / Small forward
Coaching career2024–present
Career history
As a player:
2008Incheon Electroland Black Slammers
2008–2014Jeonju KCC Egis
2011–2013→Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps
2014–2018Anyang KGC
2018–2022Changwon LG Sakers
As a coach:
2024–Changwon LG Sakers
Career highlights
As player:
  • 3× KBL Championships (2009, 2011, 2017)
  • KBL Fair Play Award (2011)

As a coach:

  • KBL Championship (2025)
Kang Byung-hyun
Hangul
강병현
Hanja
姜秉賢
Revised RomanizationGang Byeonghyeon
McCune–ReischauerKang Pyŏnghyŏn

Kang Byung-hyun (Korean: 강병현; born 3 March 1985) is a South Korean former basketball player. A versatile swingman, he mostly played in the shooting guard or small forward positions.[1] He retired after the 2021–22 season and has been on the coaching staff of his former team Changwon LG Sakers.

Early life

[edit]

Kang was first exposed to basketball due to the popularity of Slam Dunk in elementary school and began frequenting Sajik Arena to watch Busan Kia Enterprise (now Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus). He idolized franchise star Hur Jae, who influenced his decision to go to Chung-Ang University and coached him at Jeonju KCC Egis.[2][3]

Playing career

[edit]

College career

[edit]

During his freshman season at Chung-Ang University, Kang drew attention for his height, as most players at his height were preferred as centers while he mainly played at shooting guard to better utilize his scoring and ball-handling abilities. The Chung-Ang team broke Yonsei University's stranglehold on the University Basketball League title (the main collegiate competition at that time) and Kang scored 27 points in the final.[4] He was part of the team which won the 2006 and 2007 MBC Cup, kick-starting a "Chung-Ang dynasty" that continued with the likes of Kim Sun-hyung and Oh Se-keun and eventually spanned 52 games undefeated and another three consecutive MBC Cups.[5][6][7]

Professional career

[edit]

In January 2008, Kang was drafted by Incheon Electroland Black Slammers as the fourth pick of the first round.[8] He was traded to Jeonju KCC Egis as part of a three-player trade for star center Seo Jang-hoon. The deal made the headlines as Kang was reported to be "in shock" as he was not fully informed about the trade while Seo was allegedly "offloaded" by KCC head coach Hur Jae due to their poor working relationship, which both had since denied.[9] He eventually established himself in Hur's team and earned a reputation as a "hidden" clutch player who was not as flashy as his counterparts but dependable during crucial games. During a hard-fought 2011 championship series, Kang was crucial in KCC overturning Wonju Dongbu Promy's advantage. With both teams tied at 2-2 in the series, his last-minute three pointer in Game 5, which KCC narrowly won, and winning three-point shot in Game 6 sealed the Championship title for KCC.[10]

In May 2011, he enlisted for mandatory military service and was assigned to the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps's Sangmu team after completing basic training.[11]

Kang was traded along with Jang Min-guk to Anyang KGC prior to the 2014–15 season as part of a deal to acquire Kim Tae-sul.[12][13] He established himself as a mainstay of the team alongside the likes of Lee Jung-hyun, Park Chan-hee, Yang Hee-jong and his former Chung-Ang teammate Oh Se-keun in KGC's fourth place finish, qualifying for the playoffs after two consecutive seasons of poor results.[1] In February 2016, he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the game against Wonju DB Promy and underwent surgery, ruling him out for the rest of the season and much of the following season.[14] He returned to the court in March 2017 but had difficulty regaining his form during the 2017-18 season due to the after-effects of the injury and eventually lost his place to Moon Seong-gon.[15][1]

After a dismal season, Kang was traded to Changwon LG Sakers together with Lee Won-dae in a two-for-two deal. LG's then-head coach Hyun Joo-yup drew much criticism from their own fans, who saw Kang as a player past his prime and potential liability.[16][17] The ruptured Achilles tendon meant that Kang could no longer rely on his trademark bursts of speed and athleticism as a ball-handling shooting guard. Hyun instead deployed him in a "3-and-D" role to add another scoring option around the perimeter while utilizing his height in defense; Kang later credited Hyun with reviving his career through this switch in position as he had initially contemplated early retirement.[18][19] In his new role, Kang established himself as a key player during the latter half of the season as LG qualified for the playoffs for the first time in four years.[20] He was appointed team captain ahead of the 2019–20 season, renewing his contract for another two years at the end of the season.[21][22]

In May 2022, LG announced that Kang would retire and join their staff as a performance analyst.[23] He was honored with a retirement ceremony at the opening game of the 2022-23 season.[24]

National team career

[edit]

Kang's good form during the 2010-11 season and the Sangmu team earned him a spot for the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship. He scored 22 points, his best statistic for the national team, during the group stage game against India.[25]

Post-retirement

[edit]

After retiring as a player, Kang remained with Changwon LG Sakers on its staff. He served as a performance analyst and scout for two seasons.[1] Beginning in the 2024–25 season, he joined the first team coaching staff as an assistant to Cho Sang-hyun while simultaneously serving as the head coach of the reserve D League team.[26] LG won its first ever KBL Championship that season, his first with the team.[27]

Personal life

[edit]

In 2013, Kang married former Miss Korea contestant Park Ka-one [ko] after a five-year courtship.[3][28] They have two sons (born in 2014 and 2017). As their first child was born while Kang was still with Anyang KGC and resided in nearby Suwon, he decided not to uproot his family when he was traded to Changwon LG Sakers, choosing to commute weekly from Suwon to Changwon.

He is close friends with fellow Busan native Kim Tae-sul, who emceed his wedding. They were schoolmates in middle school and remained friends despite going on to rival high schools and universities.[13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "[바코 인사이드] 창원 LG 전력분석원, 강병현이 살아갈 제2의 인생". BasketKorea (in Korean). 15 September 2022.
  2. ^ "[농구]스타가 꼽은 유망주/농구 허재→강병현". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 25 January 2004.
  3. ^ a b "[ESC] 밀레니얼 세대 농구선수 강병현 "친구 같은 아빠 되고 싶어"". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 5 June 2019.
  4. ^ "[농구]중앙대 대학농구 정상 올라". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 24 June 2004.
  5. ^ "[중앙대 동문/파워중앙인] 훈훈한 외모와 실력으로 사랑받는 프로농구 스타플레이어, LG 세이커스 강병현 동문을 만나다" (in Korean). Chung-Ang University official Naver blog. 7 November 2019.
  6. ^ "농구부 MBC배 대학농구 2연패". Chung-Ang News (in Korean). Chung-Ang University. 8 May 2007.
  7. ^ "중앙대, 농구대잔치 2연패 달성". Chung-Ang News (in Korean). Chung-Ang University. 2 January 2008.
  8. ^ "[집중분석] 2008 신인 드래프트 팀별 리뷰". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 30 January 2008.
  9. ^ "[현장리포트] '어음' 강병현 주고 '현금' 서장훈 받았다?". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 19 December 2008.
  10. ^ "강병현, '챔프전 종결자' 숨은 MVP" (in Korean). KBS. 26 April 2011.
  11. ^ "KCC 강병현 등 8명 상무 농구단 입대". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 18 April 2011.
  12. ^ "프로농구 김태술, KCC로 이적…강병현과 트레이드". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 15 May 2014.
  13. ^ a b "김태술·강병현, 두 부산 사나이의 얄궂은 운명". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 18 May 2014.
  14. ^ "복귀 앞둔 강병현 "3일에 한 번은 농구하는 꿈 꿨죠"". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 16 February 2017.
  15. ^ "'특별 미션' 갖고 코트로 돌아온 세 남자". Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). 10 March 2017.
  16. ^ "LG-KGC인삼공사, 기승호-강병현 주고받았다". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 1 June 2018.
  17. ^ "프로농구 LG 강병현, 은퇴…전력분석원으로 새 출발". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 13 May 2022.
  18. ^ "'3&D'로 변신 성공한 창원 LG 강병현". Jumpball (in Korean). 11 March 2019.
  19. ^ "강병현에 대한 현주엽 감독의 애정 "병현이 수비상 탈만하지 않나요?"". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 8 March 2019.
  20. ^ "'화려함 대신 궂은일' LG 강병현의 반전 변신". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). 11 March 2019.
  21. ^ "LG 강병현, '절친' 하승진과 지키지 못한 약속". Jumpball (in Korean). 2 July 2019.
  22. ^ "LG와 재계약한 강병현 "농구 인생 마지막은 LG에서"". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 7 May 2020.
  23. ^ "프로농구 LG 강병현, 은퇴…전력분석원으로 새 출발". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 13 May 2022.
  24. ^ ""LG에 꼭 필요한 사람 되길" 강병현 은퇴식 빛낸 '특급 인맥'". Jumpball (in Korean). 16 October 2022.
  25. ^ "26th FIBA Asia Championship 2011 — Preliminary Round - Group A" (PDF). FIBA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2011.
  26. ^ "D리그 전담할 강병현 LG 신임 코치, 그가 전한 3가지 방향성은?". BasketKorea (in Korean). 3 July 2024.
  27. ^ "'선수-코치 7차전 우승' 강병현 코치, "선수 시절 우승보다 더 좋다"". Jumpball (in Korean). 17 May 2025.
  28. ^ "농구선수 강병현-미코 박가원 5년 열애 끝 결혼". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 5 March 2013.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kang_Byung-hyun&oldid=1304503644"