"Not who I used to be." Shaun Long, a monster from Hyundai Mobis. Under-the-goal dominance + double team Thatcher Good. "Technical foul?" I'm not who I used to be"

Sep 14, 2024

'Not who I used to be.' Shaun Long, a monster from Hyundai Mobis. Under-the-goal dominance  double team Thatcher Good. 'Technical foul?' I'm not who I used to be'
Sean Long when he was with Hyundai Mobis 3 years ago. Photo courtesy =KBL
"It's not who I used to be!"

The change of Sean Long (31, 2m8) who returned after three years is unusual.

He is joining Hyundai Mobis' off-season training in Japan. He is heavy every day. After the team's training in Nagano, Japan, on the 13th, he said in an interview that `It's not the me I used to be.'

There is a reason for this.

He formed a relationship with Hyundai Mobis as a free agent in the 2020-2021 season. At the time, he was the best foreign player in the league. He ranked No. 1 overall in scoring and No. 1 in rebounding.

The under-the-goal dominance was considerable. However, there were aspects that were disappointing. He lacked active ability in defense and had a hot temperament, so he had a lot of ups and downs in each game.

He was the ace of powerful Hyundai Mobis, but there was anxiety. He was named MVP that season. He was the best foreign player in the league.

Since then, he has played for Lebanga Hokkaido and Evesa in Osaka in the B-League.

Unlike Korea, Japan plays only one game a week on average. Therefore, his activism is a little off at this point.

However, the performance itself is completely ripe. I have a lot of time.

The dominance under the basket remains, and the pass that a double team takes out is also high-quality. He definitely realized how to deal with a double team coming in from the B League. Through a lot of practice and practice, the number of passes has increased through the double team's coping mechanisms."

His personality is slightly different from his former strong under-the-basket dominance. It distinguishes between when you use your strength while you can afford it and when you don't. In addition, the hedge is quite good. In particular, the accuracy of the one-on-one attack increased even more. If it was a style that pushed strong athletic ability at the time, in Japanese off-season training, the opponent is completely teased through a step of taking one more step while controlling strength and weakness.

He thinks there has been technological improvement compared to three years ago. There is a way to look at the court a little wider and use your teammates.

It's not just words. be demonstrating in action.

So far, I'm not in perfect shape. 120kg is the best weight. It is still around 126kg.

Cho Dong-hyun, the head coach of Hyundai Mobis, said of Shaun Long, `I feel like I've become more of an engineer than before. We use not only one-on-one aggression but also the option of utilizing teammates in a timely manner.

It's nice to see you from Hyundai Mobis' point of view. Hyundai Mobis has many good players. There are plenty of bench resources to turn the rotation as well as newcomers with high potential. It can be used without distinction between the first and second digits.

However, it is also true that there is a lack of key cores to dominate and lead the match. This piece is Sean Long.

The biggest variable is Sean Long's hot-tempered personality, which he showed three years ago. 'Gauge Prim received the most technicals last year, and Sean Long was also one of the most technical fouls three years ago. The skill is strong, but I think there should be some preparation for this part." He laughed and said, "It's not who I was three years ago. I'm old now, and I can control those areas. Prim is also a good player. We will do our best to reduce those areas as much as possible while working together."



sfryu@sportschosun.com