Heo Jae, once dubbed the “big man of Korean basketball,” has been effectively banned from professional basketball. The Korean Basketball League (KBL) has reportedly given Heo Jae, the former head of the recently expelled Day One team, a ‘member registration ban’. As a result, Heo will no longer be able to serve in any capacity related to professional basketball, including as a coach, club representative, front office, or association official.
On June 16, the KBL held a series of board meetings and took steps to expel Day One, which had been in financial trouble and caused various problems such as non-payment of membership fees and wage arrears. This is the first time a team has ever been expelled from the professional basketball league, which was founded in 1997.
KBL President Kim Hee-ok explained the justification for the suspension, saying, “The team has been consistent in its false and irresponsible attitude, which has greatly undermined the trust and stability of the league.” He also vowed to hold Heo Jae (Goyang Day One’s general manager of sports) and Park No-ha (Goyang Day One’s general manager of finance) “legally responsible” for the events.
The downfall of ‘Basketball President’ Heo Jae
The downfall of Heo Jae, once dubbed the “Basketball President,” is a great tragedy and karma for Korean basketball. As a player, Heo was a “legend,” combining the best skills and star power in Korean basketball history. He won seven Basketball Daejeon titles, three MVP awards, two KBL titles, and the only championship MVP from a runner-up team in professional basketball history.
He also won two KBL titles as a coach, becoming the first basketball player in history to win a championship as both a player and a coach. He has also served as the national basketball team coach three times.
In his 50s, he also ventured into broadcasting, appearing on several popular shows and becoming a household name. His two sons, Heo Woong (KCC) and Heo Hoon (KT), have followed in his footsteps and are also stars in professional basketball.
But at the same time, Heo Jae was also in the news for numerous incidents during his prime. In addition to numerous drunk driving incidents, he was also caught drinking during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games while competing in international competitions with the Taeguk-mark, leading to his expulsion from the national team and suspension.
After resigning as head coach of the national team in 2018, Heo was away from the basketball world for a while, but has since rehabilitated his image by appearing in various entertainment programs. In 2022, he made a spectacular return to the basketball world with the title of “General Manager of Sports” at Goyang Day One, a new club.
The fact that Day One was able to enter the basketball world without being fully vetted, and the fact that the KBL easily approved Day One’s membership, is all due to the “symbolism” of Heo Jae. He used his name to get the KBL to approve Day One as a member, and he is said to have actively influenced the organization to include people close to him in various positions. In the face of criticism and concern from some in the media and basketball community, he said, “Wait and see, you’ll see that it’s a good club.”
Employees and players lost their jobs overnight
In the end, however, Day One ended up being a black eye for both Heo and the basketball world. The league was forced to suspend the organization, and its employees and players lost their jobs overnight.
What’s even more disappointing 메이저사이트 is the irresponsibility of Heo Jae in this process. Despite his title, Heo failed to propose any solutions until the situation was finally catastrophic. He didn’t even show up when the team went to the National Assembly to plead for help, or at the crucial moment when the team was expelled from the KBL Center. In particular, Heo Jae’s remark that “I am also a victim” in a phone interview with a major media outlet after Dae Won’s suspension enraged fans even more.
Being a club representative is not a position to show off, but to represent, protect, and be responsible for the members. Heo Jae continued his broadcasting activities even when the situation at D-day One was at its worst, including unpaid wages, and still introduced himself as a representative of D-day One. However, it was later revealed that the registered CEO of DAYONE was only Park No-ha, the general manager, and that Heo Jae’s name did not appear. This makes it difficult to hold Heo Jae legally responsible for the Day One debacle.
It seems that the KBL has finally come down with the mace of ‘not allowing members to register’, but it is doubtful that it will be as effective as it seems. Moreover, it seems even more meaningless unless a specific time limit is set, such as permanent banning or 5–10 years.
Most importantly, Heo should apologize to the members of DAYONE, the basketball world, and basketball fans for this incident. From the ‘habitual drunk driving’ case, to the ‘son preference controversy’ when he was the national coach in 2018, to the current D.A.Y.O.N. situation, Heo has been silent and disappeared 토토사이트 순위 whenever the situation became unfavorable. He has never publicly apologized or shown restraint.
Day One is gone, but the future of the players and staff who were wronged, and the aftermath of the scandal, remain as a debt to the KBL and the basketball world. A public apology and restraint is the right thing to do.