The 2013/2014 Korean Basketball League starts this October and the Kookmin Review had an exciting chance to interview one of KT Sonic Boom’s center, Jae-Seok Jang. Jang has represented Korea during the 2012 Summer Universiad Tournament in China, and made his debut for KT Sonic Boom on October 13, 2012. Since then, he has shown great talent on the court and he is expected to be the future of KT Sonic Boom.

How did you start playing basketball?
I think from very early on I knew that I wanted to be a basketball player or a baseball player. However, when I was in elementary school, I saw other friends playing basketball, and I imagined what it would be like playing basketball on the court. And then, I just wanted to play more basketball. I was drafted by the Samsun elementary school, and I have been playing basketball ever since.

Was there any difficult times when you just wanted to quit playing basketball?
When I was in the first year of middle school, I thought about quitting basketball. I remember always being thirsty because the second and third year students did not let us, the first year students, drink any water during practices. Fighting off thirst was so difficult and I wanted to quit. However, I just kept on telling myself that I only needed to endure this for a year, and I continued on. However, I do not think there was a time that I considered seriously about quitting basketball.

Who was your biggest supporter when you were pursuing your dream to become a basketball player?
Definitely, it is my dad. My dad supported me in many different ways. He came to many of my games and he gave me rides to my school. My dad was also an athlete and I remember him telling me how much he regretted for not being able to take first place when he was an athlete. I think that inspired me to do my best. So, I was very happy when I was picked first for the draft of 2012.

What motivates you to play well on the court?
Well, I guess it is both for myself and for KT Sonic Boom fans that motivate me to play well on the court. I should play well for myself because basketball is my career and I want to be seen as a good player, of course. Also, there are people who expect me to play well. Playing for Sonic Boom is different from playing for a college team. I feel more responsible for playing for a pro-team because I am paid, and I should meet the expectations of the staff and the fans of my team.

If you could go back about 10 years, do you think you might dream of becoming someone else or would you be making the same decision to play basketball?
Maybe, I would have chosen a different path. I did not do too badly in class, so I might have liked to become a doctor or a lawyer.

Now that you have become a basketball player, is there a new dream and what is it?
There isn't any definite dream that I have thought about, yet, but I want to contribute more to my team. Also, I have thought about playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), but I think it is quite a big dream. I am not too confident whether I could play in the NBA right now, but if I could, I would like to play for the Lakers. I really like how Steve Nash plays basketball and I would really like to play basketball with him.

Can you give any advice for people who are pursuing their dreams?
I think you just have to remind yourself about what your dream is everyday and you need to commit to it. You need to be faithful in what you are pursuing. In order to achieve my dream, I did not drink soda and coffee because I knew those things would hinder my growth. Committing to your dream sometimes requires sacrifice.  

What do you regret the most for choosing to become a basketball player?
One thing that I regret the most is not having as much personal time as I wanted. Since I was young, I spent a lot of time practicing basketball with my team. So, I did not have a lot of chance to hang out with my classmates who were not in the basketball team. I wished I could have made more friends with people outside the norm of basketball, but I just did not have the time because of basketball practices.

Seo Jang-Hoon, your teammate, retired last season. Have you also thought about your retirement?
It is little too early to think about my retirement, but I don't think that I will pursue something that is related to basketball after I retire. I would like to try something new after I retire. I like traveling, so I have considered starting a travel agency, but I have not really thought about my retirement yet.

KT plays their first game on October 12. Make sure to watch out for Jang this season!