Lee Dae-sung returns to KBL only after one year of overseas expansion → Samsung's two-year contract
Lee Dae-sung, who challenged the Japanese league, returns to the KBL in one season and wears a Samsung Thunder uniform. On the 21st, Samsung Thunder posted a message on its official account, "Samsung Thunder has signed an FA contract with Lee Dae-sung. Please show a lot of support!" Lee Dae-sung signed a two-year contract with Samsung. His pay is 600 million won (420 million won per year and 180 million won in incentives). Lee Dae-sung, who was born in 1990 and is 33 years old, wore the Ulsan Mobis uniform as the first choice in the second round of the 2013 draft. Since 2019, he has played for teams such as Jeonju KCC, Goyang Orions, and Daegu Korea Gas Corporation. Lee Dae-sung, who finished the 2022-2023 season at the Daegu Korea Corporation, declared his overseas expansion. The KBL stipulates that if a FA-qualified player rejects a recruitment offer received by one or more of the domestic clubs, he or she will not be able to play in the domestic league for five years. At the time, KGC was preparing to renew the contract with Lee but gave up the contract in respect of Lee's intention to advance to overseas markets. Other teams also gave up their recruitment, allowing Lee to deflect the clause. Regarding the abandonment of the contract, the Korea Gas Corporation claimed that Lee Dae-sung wanted to go overseas unconditionally and that he would stay overseas for at least two years, and released him without conditions. He said that he considered becoming an unpaid FA when he turns 35. Therefore, Korea Gas Corporation did not receive all the compensation and compensation players that Lee Dae-sung would have received if he moved to a club within the KBL. Lee Dae-sung, who left the KBL safely due to the consideration of the Korea Gas Corporation, reportedly wanted to enter the Australian league, but signed a one-year contract with Shihosu Mikawa in the B. League of Japanese professional basketball. Lee Dae-sung averaged 7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in Sukhos Mikawa. However, Lee Dae-sung re-emerged in the KBL FA market after a year. KGC also wanted to recruit him, but it ultimately decided to move to Samsung. Netizens responded critically, saying, "I don't know if it's really right for someone who said he would do something for Korean basketball to return to the country by using regulatory loopholes," "Someone who blocked other players from advancing overseas," and "Why are you having a press conference!? I didn't come back after chewing the B-League... It's the same situation as other FA players... Is it a press conference for an excuse?" Lee Dae-sung's joining press conference will be held at the KBL Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 22nd. He had held a press conference while leaving the KBL.